Nothing But Lies
by Aiselne Phoenix Nocturnus
Summary: Ash Ketchum has always been an accident-prone kid. However, rumors across Pallet Town claim his injuries are not very "innocent" regarding his arguing parents, pitting the Ketchums in a painful struggle to prove their innocence. Complete.
1. Another Hospital Visit

_**Nothing But Lies**_

**SUMMARY**: Ash has always been an accident-prone kid. However, rumors across Pallet Town claim his injuries aren't very 'innocent' regarding his arguing parents, pitting the Ketchums in a painful struggle to prove their innocence.

**GENRE**: Drama/Family

**RATED**: PG-13 / T  
**NOTABLE CONTENT**: Language and Inexplicit Themes Regarding Abuse

**SHIP**: Parentshipping (Mr. & Mrs. Ketchum)

**COPYRIGHT NOTE**: I don't own _Pokemon / Pocket Monsters_

**STORY TAKES PLACE IN**: Kanto Seasons - Pre-_Advanced Generation_ and _Diamond & Pearl_ (aka Misty is still in the group during this story ^_^)

**COMMENTS**: Welcome. I usually consider Ash's accident-prone-ness to be quite comical (and cute). However, his numerous accidents often made the other side of my brain wondering, "how many times can one kid hurt himself before people start getting suspicious?" Rest assured, this story isn't explicit, though it minutely discusses some mature issues (aka there aren't any _actual_ scenes of abuse). There's lots of Ketchum family drama ahead, so I hope you enjoy this story.

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**NOTHING BUT LIES**

_**Aiselne Phoenix**_

**Prologue / Chapter 1: "Another Hospital Visit"**

Delia Ketchum was familiar with hospitals. She gave birth in one, and she often visited them afterwards thanks to her accident-prone son. The mother lost count of how many times she had visited a hospital, and each and every time, Delia was always nervous, but thankfully, each visit ended happily. She was certain this visit would end just as typically as it started.

That did not mean her concerns vanished, of course. _Dear God...leave it to you to fall out of a tree, Ash, _Delia sighed, shaking her head as she sat in the waiting room of the Pallet Town General Hospital on that humid summer night. It had been a few hours since they brought Ash in, but the doctors reassured her that he was 'fine.' Delia was less optimistic, since for however 'fine' Ash's condition was dubbed, he still managed to break his arm, but no further damage than that. _That's bad enough, _Delia thought, exhaling again. _And why do I have a feeling he broke the SAME arm he broke when he was six years old? Either that, or he's got a matching set, now._

It certainly was not the first time she set foot in a hospital, and it _definitely _was not the first time she set foot in a hospital on her son's account. Nearly every year or so there was some fiasco that drove Ash to the hospital: falling down stairs, falling out of trees (this was not his first time falling out of a tree, either), falling off swing sets...he was very good at falling. There were a few instances where falling was _not _a prime factor in Ash's injuries, such as when he accidently burnt his hand after getting excited over a hot pan of fresh cookies (campfires were notorious for burns, too). Then came the freaky time he opened Delia's car door too quickly and the door swung open, its tip bashing him right in the eye. Delia _still_ could not understand how the hell he pulled _that_ stunt off, but alas, Ash _did_. _Argh... _Ash always had a nasty tendency to be in the wrong place at the wrong time: an ideal target for some freak accident. Delia lost count of how many broken bones, black eyes, burns, and sprains her boy somehow attracted over the years. _The hospital just did a renovation...I think they did it via OUR money._

It really was not funny, though. Every time Ash went into the hospital, Delia was a nervous wreak and always feared the worst. After all, who was to say Ash might not get himself a _serious _injury someday? Delia hated to think like that, but she had to face facts, too; Ash was an accident-prone kid, and the odds of him getting seriously hurt were not unlikely. Delia always hoped he would have somehow gotten over his accident-prone phase as he got older, but thanks to the current situation, it was obvious that never happened.

"Delia?"

Blinking, Delia looked up at the sound of her name, recognizing the voice instantly and looking over at the man standing before her. She was somewhat surprised he showed up after all, but decided to block all past thoughts and put on a reassuring smile for the time being. They had more important things to worry about at the moment. "He's fine, Tylor. Broke' his arm, though."

That was exactly what Tylor feared. Sighing, he ran a hand through his black hair, shaking his head at the thought. _Not again._ "The same one as last time?"

Delia shrugged gently. "I don't know. The doctor's didn't say, or I missed them say it," she answered, sliding over on her bench to invite Tylor to sit down beside her, the man accepting it. Tiredly slouching forward to rest his arms on his lap, Tylor gazed at his watch. _Nine PM._

"But other than that, he's gonna' be okay, right?" Tylor asked, wanting to be absolutely positive that Ash was okay. "I mean, he didn't hit his head or hurt anything else, did he?"

Delia simply shook her head. "Miraculously, no," she said with half-hearted humor with her continuous reassuring smile. Tylor sighed in full relief at her confirmation. "But I think breaking his arm is bad enough, don't you?"

"Of course," Tylor fully agreed. "But...how'd he even break it in the first place?"

Her smile then faded when Delia bit her lip, looking away for a moment. "How _else_, Ty? He was fooling around up in a tree again, just like last time."

_You'd think he'd learn his lesson, _Tylor thought, though not negatively. "What was he doing up there, anyway?"

"I don't know," Delia shrugged unemotionally. "He said he was going to go play or train with his Pokemon, but then somehow, he winded up climbing that old oak tree in the backyard," she said, turning back around to narrow her brown eyes at Tylor. "...The tree _you _said you'd get _cut down_."

Tylor cringed at that, knowing well enough where this conversation was headed. "I _was _gonna' get it cut down. The tree removers have an appointment for next Tuesday. Believe me, Del, if I had known Ash would have climbed it _today_, I would've had the tree chopped down by now. But how was I to know? Even _you _said you didn't know he'd climb it."

"The whole reason we made the appointment was to cut that rotted thing down _before _someone got hurt on it, or before it crashed through the house!" Delia countered, sighing and shaking her head in disgust over the matter. "We were supposed to _prevent _this, Tylor."

Irked by her tone, Tylor frowned offensively as Delia once again looked away from him. "Hey, don't blame _me _for this, Delia," he replied, a bit sharply.

"I've been hounding you to cut that damned tree down for over a _year_, Tylor!" Delia snapped, turning back to him and glaring into his brown eyes. "But every time I asked you to call the tree removers, you put it off, and now our son's broken his arm thanks to that! You're lucky he hadn't broken his _neck_!"

"Hey, I never 'put it off,' Del!" Tylor shot back, getting a tad fed up with his wife putting the blame on him for this. "I _know _you've wanted it to be cut, but removing a tree that big isn't a cheap expense, and when you first told me about it, we did _not _have the funds to remove it, we just _didn't_! Your job at the restaurant doesn't provide that much money, Delia, and neither does my office. Cutting down a huge tree isn't as simple as taking a hack-saw and chopping it down."

"Oh don't preach to me about money, Tylor!" Delia groaned, rolling her eyes. "Everything always comes down to money, money, money! Well, I hope you'll be _happy _to know we'll be spending even _more _money cutting down the tree _AND _paying for our son's hospital bill! And God help us if that rotted tree crashes down through the house between now and Tuesday!"

"And where the hell were _you _when this all happened?!" barked Tylor, both of their brown eyes glaring deeply into each other's. He had had it up to _here _with her constantly blaming him for every little mishap. So what if he was concerned about their finances? Delia certainly did not seem to be! Tylor took charge of the money matters, and while he was not trying to sound cheap, he was _practical_. Delia had a tendency to push aside financial problems, while Tylor was the one who worried about them. Him and his family were not rich, nor were they anywhere near poor or bankrupt, but Tylor wanted to _prevent _the latter. And what he said was entirely true; when Delia first approached him on the tree matter, they really did _not _have the finances to cut it down, at least without making some major cutbacks elsewhere. Tylor refused to have his family choose between groceries and electricity just so they could cut down a stupid tree. He had to set aside money, which he was originally planning to replace his clunky car with, in order to have ample funds for the tree removers. Cutting down such a massive tree was not a cheap expense whatsoever, but his wife did not seem to understand such.

"What do you mean, 'where was I'?!" Delia barked back, regaining her husband's attention.

"Where were _you _when he fell?!" Tylor repeated with just as much force. "You knew all about the tree; you should've told him to stay off of it!"

"Excuse me, but I just told you I didn't even _know _he was going to climb it! If I had known he would have, I would've locked him in the house!"

"Well don't you think if I knew this would happen, I would've tried to prevent it, too?"

"That would probably depend on how much money it would cost you!"

"_Fine _Delia! You want to blame this whole matter on me, go right ahead, just as you always do! _I'm _the one at fault, _I'm _the bad husband, _I'm _the bad father...it's always _my _fault! But don't you _dare _come crying to me when all our money's gone!"

"Don't you _DARE _speak to me about money at a time like this, Tylor Ketchum!" Delia blasted, her face red with fury, yet with a few tears glossing over her eyes. "Our son is in the emergency room right now because you're too Goddamn cheap to spend a few bucks!"

"A _few bucks_?! Maybe if you bothered to _notice _price tags, you'd realize how much things _really _cost! I'm not about to let my family declare bankruptcy, Delia!"

"You always make it sound like we're in the poor house! We make _ample _money!"

"Not when you keep spending it all!"

Delia opened her mouth, wanting to counter that, but the words never left her mouth. She and Tylor had been arguing about money matters since God-knew-when, and she was sick of it. She knew what her husband said was true; that she had a tendency to spend more than she should, but at the same time, Delia hated how all Tylor ever worried about was money. "I'm starting to think you care more about money than your own family," she said, much softer and unemotionally.

"Oh Christ, Delia," Tylor groaned, running his hands through his hair, nearly pulling his black locks out due to her damned excuse. "You _know _that is _not _true."

"Sometimes I wonder if it _is _true or not," Delia pondered, more tears welling in her eyes as she looked away from her husband. "You're never home. You used to always be coming to and from the office, but now you hardly _bother_. I know we need money, and I know you're working hard, but would it _kill _you to spend some time with your family, Tylor?" she challenged, turning back around to glare her glassy eyes at him.

"I'm sick and tired of hearing about money matters." Delia admitted, not even giving her husband a chance to counter. "And above all..." she paused, swallowing a few tears as her heartstrings started to get pulled at the expense of a _different _thought. "...I'm sick of hearing 'when is Dad coming back?' or 'is he going to visit us soon?'!" she choked, Tylor's expression instantly softening from angry to regretful, knowing well enough where this topic was going. "You..." stopped Delia, just long enough to keep herself composed. "...You weren't even there on the first day of his Pokemon journey, Tylor! And you _knew _that meant the world to Ash!"

Tylor _hated _being reminded of that; it was something that haunted him constantly. Of course, his job was out of town, in the western outskirts of Viridian City by Indigo Plateau. Between work, meetings, and commute, it was especially hard for Tylor to run back to Pallet Town on a whim. Alas, that was no excuse for Tylor not to be present the first day of his son's journey. Unfortunately, during that time, Tylor had just transferred to a higher division at his office, becoming assistant manager, and taking time off so soon was _not _going to be in his favor. He still knew that was a lousy excuse, but at the time, Delia's job at the restaurant was only part-time. Tylor's promotion was a one-time shot for him to get a steady and successful job. Of course, Tylor called his family the night of, informing them of the news. Delia blasted him over the phone, swearing if he preferred getting a raise to seeing his son off, she never wanted to have associations with such a man.

That was when Tylor and Delia finally agreed to spend some serious time apart. Tylor rented an apartment near his office, while Delia remained in Pallet Town. Of course, their separation did not excuse Tylor from the obligation of explaining himself to his son, something Tylor did _not _want Delia to do for him. Ash was clearly upset, but understood, nonetheless. He knew his father wanted and needed this job. At the very least, Ash was not quite so oblivious to money matters as his mother was, though Tylor doubted the boy _fully _understood their importance.

Ash claimed to understand his father's absence, and even reassured Tylor that the boy was content with not seeing his father before leaving. Sadly, Tylor still hated himself for missing such a milestone. Tylor got his promotion, and he had been excelling in his new job ever since, but knowing that he missed out on one of the most important moments of his son's life was simply unforgivable. Tylor understood his mistake.

"So what're you going to do?" Delia's voice suddenly snorted, regaining Tylor's attention via her sarcastic tone whilst she wiped a few of her tears. "Tell him you have _another _meeting or interview when he gets married, Tylor?"

"Of course not," Tylor swore, though his voice was a tad less forceful than he hoped. Delia's words definitely struck a painful cord with him. Tylor had already tortured himself countless times for his behavior. He did not want or need his wife to rub additional salt in his wounds, never mind and take out her frustrations on him.

"I'm amazed you showed up _tonight_!" scoffed Delia. "I guess you'll only show up when our son's on his death-bed now."

"Jeez, Del. I had the night off." Actually, that was a lie, but Tylor did not feel like discussing his job with Delia, since it was a sore subject with his wife.

Either way, his words still set Delia off. "Oh, so you _wouldn't_ have shown up if you were _working_, is that it?! Our son could've killed himself and you'd rather stay at the office and do paperwork?!"

Tylor nearly screamed at her when suddenly, a male doctor approached them, instantly snapping them out of their argument. Both standing up, Delia and Tylor put on more composed and content looks for the sake of the doctor. After all, there was no point in dragging anymore people into their bickering, and the arrival of the doctor reminded them _why_ they were there in the first place...and that they _did _have more important things to worry about.

"Mr. and Mrs. Ketchum?" the doctor addressed them, both parents nodding at their names. Lifting up a clipboard, the man flipped through the papers, skimming through them before continuing. "Your son's fine. He's going to be wearing a cast on his left arm for a while, but we didn't find any other injuries."

Delia and Tylor exchanged knowing looks, albeit only for a moment. The broken arm _was _the same arm Ash broke when he was six.

"He broke that arm a few years ago, doctor," Delia noted skittishly. "Is that...going to be a problem?"

"Not from what the X-rays showed us," the doctor answered, noticing the couple equally sigh in absolute relief. "But I will keep that in mind during a his next follow up, just to make sure the arm heals properly. I wouldn't mind getting any medical files recording when he originally broke it, too, just to make sure it _originally _healed properly in the first place."

"I'm sure the hospital has it under his file," Delia added. _God knows: Ash has a file in this place, or probably_ _FILING CABINET!_ "The doctors said it _did _heal properly the last time."

"I wouldn't be surprised," smiled the doctor. "We didn't find anything overly serious, I mean, other than the obvious. I'm not too concerned, really. He should be fine, but again, I'd like a few follow-ups and past records. But other than that, you can take him home now if you like."

That was music to Delia and Tylor's ears. For the first time that night, despite all their past and present arguing, the two Ketchums smiled brightly back at each other, simply relieved and happy that their son was truly okay.

- - - - - - - - - -

"Honey?" Delia's soft voice cooed, slowly entering the hospital room the doctors directed her and her husband to. Both she and Tylor could not help but feel relieved smiles pull their lips as they found their son, lying on a hospital bed, and his left arm in the expected cast. _Again._ It brought back bittersweet memories of the last time he broke it. Of course, Delia and Tylor were not the _only _ones hit with the nostalgic irony.

"Hey Mom," Ash greeted softly, albeit tad sheepishly as he, too, noticed how ironic his recent accident played out. Blinking, his eyes averted from his mother for only a second as he noticed the man next to her: his father. Ash could not help but feel a bit dumbfounded by his father's sudden arrival. "..._Dad_?"

Tylor was not quite as surprised as his son was, but Ash's amusing shock still provided a wider smile on Tylor's face. "Yeah, kiddo. It's me."

It had been only about a month since Tylor had last seen Delia. However, due to Ash's journey, it had been even longer since Ash last saw his dad…_several _months to be frank. The last time he saw Tylor was the past Christmas, which was hands down one of the happiest Christmases Ash ever spent in Pallet Town. Since then, Ash had been on his journey, and his dad had returned to work. Tylor still occasionally visited Pallet Town while the boy was gone, due to Delia constantly hounding Tylor to do _something_ around his house. However, Ash never expected his short break from traveling and Pokemon training would have resulted in him seeing his father again. Of course, Ash never expected he would have wound up in the hospital during his vacation, too, breaking his left arm again, nonetheless. But now that his father was home again, Ash suddenly felt ten times better. "I...don't believe it," he gaped, before a flabbergasted smile stretched across his face. "What're you doing here?"

Chuckling, Tylor sat down on the bed, beside his son, while Ash promptly sat up, being mindful of his arm now frozen in yet another cast. Ruffling his son's hair, Tylor smirked. "I'm making sure you're okay, of course. Just when I thought you were too old to go flying out of a tree, you prove me wrong."

Ash blushed, giggling sheepishly and lowering his head slightly. "Sorry' bout' that."

"About what?" Delia chimed, joining in on the somewhat light-hearted conversation as she sat down next to Tylor, shaking her head at her son. "Sorry' over falling out of the tree…or sending your poor mother into _cardiac arrest_?" Ash was good at both, but even _better _at the latter.

Ash just continued to grin bashfully. This was definitely not the first time Delia playfully laid a guilt trip on him like this; it came standard whenever he went to the hospital. "I'm sorry Mom," he repeated, putting on a rather pitiful look to try and win some sympathy from Delia.

Of course, Delia saw that look so many times she was rather immune to it by now. "Yeah, I get that every time," she teased, before gently drawing her son into a partial hug, being mindful of his cast. Kissing his forehead, Delia then shook her head again, rolling her eyes at yet another hospital-related mishap Ash somehow got himself entangled in. "But _somebody still _seems to find it necessary to make his annual emergency room visit. I think we're becoming _regulars _here."

"I don't...do it on purpose, you' know," Ash honestly admitted, though still grinning mischievously. "The branch just..._snapped_."

"So did_ I_ when Misty and Brock told me you fell out of the tree, Mister," Delia countered, causing her son to giggle slightly at his helpless excuses. Delia was not mad at him, really. It was just another freak accident Ash got into, something neither of them really had any control over. _Well...maybe it COULD have been prevented..._but Delia did not want to spoil the moment. "Just promise me you'll try and be more careful in the future, sweetie," she asked, lovingly kissing his forehead again. "I'd like us to make _one _year without any ER visits, okay?"

Ash giggled, nodding in response, though both knew he could not make any promises. These hospital visits were not picnics for him, either, since _he _was the one who got the worst end of them. This recent episode, especially, was a killer. The doctors said he was going to be fine, but it did not get rid of how much his arm had hurt when he initially hit the ground. It did not hurt _immediately_, but the pain came rushing through a few seconds later; falling from eight feet up will do that. And Ash instantly remembered how he landed on the exact _same_ arm he broke when he was six, and that was not very settling. The way his arm hurt so much, Ash feared the worst: dislocation, or more permanent damage...loss of his left arm. His imagination got the best of him, but he was genuinely frightened. Delia claimed to be scared, but Ash was just as, if not even more, scared over the matter. Falling from a tree and breaking an arm he already broke once was not exactly something Ash relished doing on his vacation.

"Sorry' I worried you," the boy sincerely apologized, directing his apology especially to his dad. He knew Tylor was very busy, and Ash had no problem with that, since he knew his dad had valid reasons for working so much. Considering all Tylor did for his family, Ash did not like to burden the man anymore with his son's foolish and reckless actions. _Jeez...Misty and Brock were right. I SHOULDN'T have climbed that damn tree...but..._It brought back so many fond memories. Ash used to climb, and fall, from that tree tons of times when he was a kid. Climbing it once again, and even more so falling from it, _did _bring back great, albeit _realistic_ memories.

"Oh, we know, sweetie," Delia smiled, brushing Ash's disheveled black hair with a hand. She was just relieved to see he was indeed okay. Delia got especially worried when Ash claimed he could not move his arm, and the pain just seemed to multiply on the ride to the hospital. She feared it was the same arm he originally broke, and she did not want to think of the possibilities if he somehow made his arm even _worse_.

"What matters is, you're okay," Tylor added, rubbing his son's shoulder affectionately. He, too, had gotten quite a scare when Delia called him, screaming in near hysteria about what happened to Ash. Tylor prayed the entire ride down to Pallet that Ash would be okay, and he was just grateful his prayers were answered. His son had a broken arm, but at least the doctors did not seem to think it would be anything more serious than that, not that a broken arm was anything to celebrate over. "As long as our little martyr keeps on tickin'," he said, gently squeezing Ash's shoulder as the boy giggled. Above all, hospital or not, Tylor was just overjoyed to see his son again. The circumstances could have been _much_ better, but Tylor would be lying if he said he regretted this night. Ash was okay, and he was together with his family again.

For now, itwas the only thing that mattered to Tylor.

- - - - - - - - - -

"Now _what _are you gonna' do every time Brock and I tell you _not _to do something, Ash?" Misty chimed sarcastically, almost sounding like Delia as she, Ash, and Brock got themselves ready for bed. It was late by the time everyone returned to the Ketchum residence, and the tired kids were quick to change into their pajamas and prep their sleeping bags for some much-needed rest.

"Uh...I'll tell you I'll be okay?" Ash teased, knowing well enough he was testing Misty's patience, but also knowing she really could not harm him _too_ badly. _After all...my poor arm... _There was one consolation about getting an injury...it minimized Misty's thrashing. 'Minimized,' though...not _'eliminated_.'

"That's what you said before you went sailing out of the tree, Ash," Brock noted with a grin, groaning as he shook his head. What a day it had been: starting off with simple training, ending with Ash winding up in the hospital and getting a cast on his left arm. _Some vacation THIS is turning out to be._

"I didn't go _'sailing' _out of the tree," Ash protested in a huff. "You make it sound like I did a _swan dive_ off of it. The damn branch snapped off!"

"Brock and I _told _you it was rotted and you should stay away from it," Misty countered sharply, annoyance and exhaustion ever evident in her tone. To say it had been a long day was an understatement. "But _no_! You insisted on risking your neck just to go down memory lane!"

"I'm sure falling brought back _plenty _of memories, too," chimed Brock.

"You're lucky your arm was _all _you broke," Misty added, shivering at the thought of how much worse Ash's accident could have been.

"Okay, okay; I get it, _Mom,_" Ash groaned sarcastically, rolling his eyes at Misty's lecturing. He already got an earful from Delia, so he did not need a re-run thanks to Misty, especially at eleven o'clock at night. "Look, I'm okay. Let's just leave it at that."

Of course, Misty was not convinced. "You have a freakin' _cast _on your left arm! I don't consider that 'okay,' Ash!"

"This is probably 'small fry' compared to some of his _other _injuries," Brock figured sarcastically as he slinked into bed, attempting to get some sleep. _Now if only two boisterous kids can shut up...I can get back to that Jenny dream from last night._

"I don't even want to go there," Misty groaned. _We could be here all night discussing Ash's past injuries. All night...hell, we could be here for a whole week!_ Rubbing her aching temples and shaking her head, Misty sat down on her bubble-designed sleeping bag. To the troublesome boy's credit, Ash actually offered her his bunk bed for the night, but Misty declined, figuring he deserved sleeping in his own bed after the day he endured. Plus, Misty doubted a sleeping bag would work wonders on Ash's broken arm. Pushing the covers aside before getting into them, Misty drew the bag's flap up to her lap as she sat up. Sleep was calling her, but after spending the vast majority of the afternoon _and_ evening at the hospital, Misty somehow found it hard to settle her nerves. She was still in shock that Ash even fell out of the tree in the first place, though _why _she was surprised Misty could not figure out. _This IS Ash we're talking about._

Meanwhile, Ash had gotten into his bed, constantly reminding himself to be careful of his arm. Sleeping with a cast was not always easy, especially since he was not a sound sleeper. Ash always tossed and turned during the night, often resulting in him unconsciously tearing his bed sheets right off or chucking his pillow (which once hit Misty at four in the morning and she gave him holy hell for it). And now with his cast, Ash had to make sure he would not toss and turn in such a way to make his injury _worse_. The cast protected his arm, but even _that_ only did so much. Speaking from experience, Ash knew there was nothing worse than waking up out of a sound sleep, screaming after accidently whacking his wounded arm against his wall or bed frame.

"I'm starting to wonder if I should wait a few days before heading back to Cerulean, seeing as _someone _seems to be batting a thousand in the injury department."

Ash blinked, still sitting up and turning towards Misty's sleeping bag, where she still sat up, glaring irritably up at him. "What's that supposed to mean?" Ash dared to ask.

Misty just rolled her eyes. "Ash, I don't want to get a call saying you broke something _else _or wound up back in the hospital for some ungodly reason. I actually plan on _relaxing _at home."

"He hit his quota for the week," chuckled Brock, his voice somewhat muffled from under his sleeping bag. "He should be all set for _this _vacation at least."

"I sometimes wonder," Misty groaned, rubbing her tired blue-green eyes. "Look, are you _sure _you're gonna' be okay without us, Ash?"

"I'm sure his parents will lock him in the house, especially after today," Brock predicted.

Ash figured that, too, but he was starting to get a little annoyed by his friend's comments. "I'll be _fine_. Don't worry, I'm not going to climb that tree again, anyway."

"Trees, stairs, hills, bumps...Ash, you seem to always find _some _way of injuring yourself," Misty truthfully noted, making Ash wonder how the hell she seemed to keep track of his mishaps. "I want to go home to relax, but I'm going to fit to be tide if I get a call saying you almost killed yourself again."

"I'll be careful, _okay_?" Ash said, almost pleadingly. "I can't do _too _much with this cast on my arm, anyway."

That was true, and Misty did find _some _consolation in his arm being in that thing. But still, "Well, please _do _be careful, okay?" she implored, this time much more softly and a little pleadingly. Misty had been scared out of her wits when she saw Ash fall from that tree. The clumsy boy had fallen countless times for one reason or another, but Misty could have sworn she even heard the _crack _his arm made when he hit the ground. "You...really scared me, Ash," she admitted softly, turning to Brock, knowing he was still awake under his covers. "...Brock, too. We don't particularly _like _seeing our best friend sail out of a tree."

_Again with the 'sailing' out of the tree,_ Ash thought, before scratching the back of his neck with his good hand."Well, I don't particularly _enjoy _falling and breaking an arm I _already _broke once before," he replied, not sharply or angrily, but honestly. He knew he was very accident-prone, and in all honesty, he hated being so. The last time Ash fell out of a tree at age six, he slipped on some sap. But this time around, he put in the extra effort of trying to be more careful. Ash just never expected the rotted branch to give way. Perhaps he _should _have known better, but nevertheless, what was done was done, and he was in the same boat as he was when he was six.

But perhaps, back then, his injury _was _worse. When he first fell, Ash was playing with Gary, and they had been playing deep in the woods near Professor Oak's lab. When Gary left to get help, it took a _lot _longer for help to return, and the waiting time was agonizing. Ash was much younger, and it was his first time ever breaking something, too, and that only made the ordeal more frightening. This time, at the very least, he fell in his own backyard, so the wait was less agonizing. Plus, even when Misty and Brock left to get help, Pikachu stayed with him for companionship, so Ash did not have to add loneliness to his list of injury-induced anxieties. Now, the mouse already dozed off beside him, making Ash smile pat his loyal Pokemon's head. His fall at age six was definitely worse when Ash was left all alone in the forest. This time around, at least Pikachu was there.

"Guys...I'm sorry about all this," muttered Ash, looking back over at his human friends apologetically. "I know this is going to be hard to believe, but I really don't _try _to injure myself." _It just...happens._

Misty and Brock, both now sitting up from the long pause from their friend, just smiled understandingly. Despite their teasing, deep down, Misty and Brock knew what Ash said was true. It was clear as day when Ash fell out of the tree, he was _not _having a 'good time.' The poor kid had been crying and screaming in agonizing pain, so unless Ash was some sort of masochist (which Misty and Brock _highly_ doubted), there was no reason for them to believe he honestly _wanted _to get hurt. _But with Ash...injuries just seem to...happen._

"Oh, we know, Ash," Misty giggled softly, shaking her head gently.

"We just don't want to see this happen again," Brock added honestly, getting a nod from Misty. Both knew the odds of this never happening again were a million-to-one-shot, but either way, they still did not _want _it to happen. Apparently, Ash felt the same way.

"Same' here," Ash replied with a half-smile. "But, I don't want you guys worrying about me, either. I know you want to spend some time at your homes, and I don't want you to worry about me while you're there."

As kind and reassuring as his words were, Misty and Brock knew that, like it or not, they _were _going to worry about Ash, thanks to his latest accident. But they still had every intention of leaving tomorrow morning, too. They had not seen their families since Christmas, and they were starting to feel a little homesick, just like Ash did. In fact, it was _his _idea in the first place for them to split up for a few weeks to go back to their homes. It was not like they would never see each other again, but some time with their families was always important. Ash did not want to keep hoarding Misty and Brock all for himself in Pallet Town. After all, Brock and Misty often spent more time with _his_ family than with their own, and Ash did not think that was very fair to the Harrisons and Williams.

"I...don't think I thanked you guys for helping me today, did I?" Ash added a little in embarrassment.

"No, only about a _zillion _times is all," Misty teased, laughing as did Brock. "What did you _think _we'd do; leave you there for the Spearows to find? Come' on, Ash, you know we'd help you at any given moment. We were _just _as worried about you."

Ash grinned sheepishly, but ever so grateful to have such incredible friends. He did not even want to imagine how that afternoon might have transpired if Misty and Brock were not around. As much as Ash wanted them to spend time with their own families, he also wondered how he was going to handle a few weeks apart from Misty and Brock. "...I'm gonna' miss you guys."

It was pretty obvious they felt the exact same, though neither Misty nor Brock wanted to ruin the light-heartedness of the moment. Considering the hellish day they had, they needed some comic relief. "Oh, here we go," Brock groaned kiddingly, jabbing Misty's arm teasingly. "He's gonna' start guilting us, isn't he?"

"Need I remind you this was all _your _brilliant idea, Ash?" Misty recalled.

"I know," Ash shrugged, still smirking sheepishly. "But...I _am _gonna' miss you."

Brock instantly ducked for cover under his sheets, playing along with the light-hearted moment. Nothing good ever followed when Ash started talking like _this_, and Brock did not want to cancel his return home just because his friend knew how to guilt him. "The lower-lip thing doesn't work with me, Ash," Brock swore, causing Misty to bop him with her pillow, chiming, "Yeah right, Brock! _Suuure _it doesn't!" while Brock poorly covered a few chuckles under the covers.

"But I think Brock's got the right idea about one thing..." Misty then noted, taking back her pillow and leaning up against it, stifling a yawn. "...Let's get some sleep. I'd like to head out early before it gets too hot," she said, remembering they arrived to Pallet Town two days ago in the sweltering summer heat, nearly collapsing on Delia's front doorstep. It was a rather long walk to Pewter City, and even _longer _to Cerulean City, so Misty wanted to beat the heat and make sure she was refreshed and ready for the haul.

The idea of sleep sounded good to Ash, too. It had been a very long day, and his body was craving some much-needed rest. The painkillers the doctors gave him were not helping him stay awake very well, either. Shutting off the lights and finally laying back down, the three kids then bided each other goodnight, finally able to give into some well-deserved sleep.

"Ash?"

Ash so nearly fell asleep before he heard Misty's soft whisper, opening his eyes and adjusting them to the dark surroundings. "What, Misty?" he asked softly and tiredly.

"...That man," Misty paused, a tad hesitantly before continuing. "...He's your dad, isn't he?"

Nodding, Ash felt a small but proud smile pull his lips. "Yup." He forgot how he never introduced Misty and Brock to his father, and vice versa. Between the ordeal with Ash's arm and Tylor's sudden arrival, Ash really never got around to formal introductions. "I can't...believe he came, too. I mean, I haven't seen him since Christmas."

Misty could not help but smile. She had a hunch that man she saw with Delia was Ash's dad, since the resemblance was obvious, especially with the black hair. Ash looked like a smaller, much younger version of his father. But at the same time, Misty knew the topic of Ash's father was a bit rocky. The man was rarely home due to his job, and it was pretty obvious Delia was not too pleased with his rare appearances.

Ash talked about his father off and on over the course of their journey, mostly about his father's career, which seemed pretty important. Originally, Mr. Ketchum was an aspiring Pokemon trainer like his son, but he never won any championships. However, his profession _did_ relate to the Pokemon League, as Ash's dad was now the assistant manager of Indigo Plateau's communications office. His specific branch handled marketing and promotional campaigning for League events, along with passing information from the Plateau's CEOs and Elite Four to Masters of other regions. Tylor got to meet and interact with Pokemon trainers all over the world, from rookies to Masters, and while it seemed like an incredible job, it also had its price. Even Ash admitted the job often required Tylor's undivided attention and sometimes forced him to travel abroad. Sadly, even though Ash always acted very proud of his dad, it was pretty obvious to Misty that the boy wished he could see his father more often.

And now, out of the blue, Tylor showed up. The sudden reunion even stunned Misty and Brock, since they never saw pictures of Tylor Ketchum, never mind see him in person. While at the hospital, Misty and Brock were not allowed to see Ash until he was released, since the doctors only allowed immediate family. They had not gotten any chance to really 'meet' Tylor since.

"I'm glad he showed up, then," Misty smiled understandingly, her eyes adjusted just enough to notice the overjoyed smile on Ash's face. It was clear as day his father's arrival made Ash's injury feel ten times better, at least in an emotional sense.

"Me too," Ash nodded, though looking away for a brevity. "I missed him, and I just hope he'll stay with Mom and me for a little while. I mean, he's got an important job and everything, but..."

"You still miss him, don't you?" Misty finished, getting a rather humble nod from the boy. Her heart went entirely out to Ash. Whenever the boy did talk about his dad, Misty could always sense the loneliness in Ash's voice, and how he missed his father so much. Misty's parents were often traveling too, researching various Water Pokemon all over Kanto, often leaving her and her three sisters alone. Misty knew what it was like to miss parents, and she knew Brock also understood. The Harrison children were very familiar with living without parents, considering _both_ their mother and father abandoned them before finally returning home.

"But...he's back, now," Ash smiled, though a bit less confidently. Tylor had often returned over the years, but it seemed as though he left as soon as he arrived. Ash was not foolish enough to believe this visit would be much different. The boy just hoped he would not wake up tomorrow to find out Tylor had already left for Viridian, a scenario Ash was used to, but never fond of. Misty and Brock's departure was going to be painful enough.

"Go on, Ash," Misty encouraged suddenly, making Ash blink and glance back at her, a tad confused by her words and stuttering a "What?"

Giggling, Misty beamed brightly. Her body was tired, and craved sleep, but, _this _was something she found more relaxation and pleasure in. "Tell me more about your dad, Ash," she coerced. "I mean, you just sound so..._happy_ right now." _And I don't want that happiness to go away._ "You don't really talk much about your dad. I mean, if it's painful, you don't have to, but..."

"It's not entirely 'painful,' Misty," Ash corrected softly. "It's more...'bittersweet,' I guess. I mean, it's not like my dad purposely left us or was doing things behind my mom's back." A shiver ran down his spine at that notion. When Ash was in second grade, a few rumors flew around about Tylor cheating on Delia. The rumors assumed Tylor's 'real' reasons for rarely being in Pallet were because he had a mistress in Viridian. The rumors were not true at all, even _Delia _knew that, but that did not stop the comments. Unfortunately at the time, Ash was so young and he could not understand why people were insulting his daddy, a person he loved and cherished. Gary, especially, was notorious for cruelly rubbing such lies in Ash's face. Thankfully, that rumor matter got corrected. Ash did not know _how_ it got corrected, but the rumors ceased, either way.

"I know my dad loves us," Ash continued with a confident nod. "Mom and him argue a lot, but they still somehow come back together, like they did tonight. And even when he's away, I know he's working hard for us, too. Mom and I owe a lot to him, and he always comes home for holidays. Mom even told me he comes home for holidays when I'm away, too, so at least _both _of them are never alone to celebrate." _I just wish...I could always be there._

Misty could not help but feel her heartstrings get tugged. The way Ash talked about his dad was simply fascinating. Despite how Ash rarely got to see his dad, it was obvious the boy held no resentment whatsoever against the man. Misty knew she could not even say the same about herself. She constantly resented her parents for being away and letting her sisters get away with teasing her. _"If Mommy and Daddy were here, you'd NEVER call me scrawny!" _Misty always cried something of that caliber whenever Daisy, Violet, and Lily teased her, but then the older sisters would simply retort, _"But they're, like, NOT here, Misty! What're you gonna' do about THAT?!"_

And yet, there was Ash, a person who was in a similar circumstance, having one of his parents constantly away due to his job, just like Misty's parents. Ash still had Delia, but his father was a different story. Yet, Ash never held it against Tylor. Misty figured it must have been hard for Ash not having his father around as often as his mother, and yet, Ash never sounded resentful. She was sure there were _sometimes _Ash hated how his father was away, since it was only natural to feel that way at least _once_. However, whether or not he did feel that way, it was pretty clear to Misty that Ash held nothing against his dad. Perhaps it was because of the sudden reunion, but Misty was betting her money more so on the fact that Ash deeply loved his father.

"You don't hold anything against him, do you, Ash?" Misty asked sweetly and curiously.

Shaking his head, Ash shrugged. "I mean, sure, there were times I was upset that he was not around, especially when kids like Gary would pick on me." _And running to your Mom doesn't exactly help matters._ "But...I don't _hate _him, if that's what you're asking," he said, smiling so confidently and proudly Misty could not help but do the same. "Misty, I could _ever _hate him. Dad's such a great person. I can't see how _anyone_ could hate him."

**Next Episode: "The Rumor"**

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**A/N**: Well that wraps up the first chapter. For those wondering, some of Ash's past accidents _were_ based on my own personal experience, especially the car-door-in-the-eye ordeal. Yes, that happened to me. Don't ask me _how_ it happened, but it did, and boy, that hurt like hell! Yeah, I'm a walking disaster, just like Ash (no wonder I love him). Anyway, this chapter was a bit light-hearted to break the ice, but this story will get more dramatic very soon…as soon as the next chapter, actually.

Reviews are greatly appreciated. Feel free to offer any constructive criticism or gush away over how cute Sato-Chan is ^_^.


	2. The Rumor

**COPYRIGHT NOTE**: I don't own _Pokemon / Pocket Monsters_

**COMMENTS**: Extra-special thanks go out to everyone who reviewed Chapter 1. I'm thrilled to see people are _actually_ interested in my stories, so reviews mean a great deal to me. They brighten my day, and more importantly get my ass in gear to update more often (though my slow updates aren't _entirely_ my fault, since I have very limited online access. If you can access the Internet on a whim, consider yourself fortunate). Postings will still be weekly, but I hope the chapters are worth the wait. Thanks again and enjoy Chapter 2.

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**NOTHING BUT LIES**

_**Aiselne Phoenix**_

**Chapter 2: "The Rumor"**

"If we don't get out of here, _now_...I'm _not _going to be listening to insistent boo-whoos, okay?" Brock kidded that summer morning, standing on the Ketchum's front porch with his friends, while getting a jab from Misty as Togepi chirped.

"Gimmie a break, Brock," Misty groaned, rolling her eyes at him before getting an ingenious idea and playfully dabbing her eyes with a fist. "How can you be so...so..." she said in a pretending choked up voice, adding a fake sniffle for effect as the others burst into laughter. "..._Insensitive_!?"

"I'm not being 'insensitive'," Brock countered matter-of-factly through his fits of laughter. "But with all this 'I'll miss you,' and 'I'll miss you too' stuff, _something's _gonna' give and I _would _like to get out of here before dark, you' know."

Rolling her eyes, Misty groaned loudly. Truth be told, it was only eight o'clock that morning, and she and Brock had _plenty _of time to get to their homes. Even still, Brock had a point. Dilly-dallying to the bittersweet words 'I'll miss you' was a one-way ticket to tears, hugs, and more time-wasters, and Misty did not feel like dragging herself into Cerulean City at midnight._ I'll be lucky if I get there by TEN, even WITH a good pace._ "Okay, okay...let's get out of here before Brock gets all choked up," the redhead snorted, Togepi chirping again, her and Ash laughing as well while Brock coughed in embarrassment.

"We'll be sure to call you when we get home," Misty reassured, turning her attention from Brock back to Ash, their laughter dying back down to the more serious side of the moment. It was not like they were parting for good, anyway. They would reunite after a few weeks, a month _tops_, and the kids promised to call each other constantly. "And for the last time, are you _sure _you're gonna' be okay without us, Ash?"

Ash rolled his eyes, looking back down at his cast for a moment, now signed by his parents, Misty and Brock, and even Pikachu and Togepi's prints. "Yes, Mom. I'll be _fine_," he sang sarcastically, his head shooting back up at her while getting a soft whack in his good arm via Misty's fist.

"Don't be cute! I'm serious!" Misty barked, though not sounding too serious with her giggles. "I don't want to find out you broke your _other _arm or something!"

"Do you want to get to Cerulean City after midnight, or do you want to keep lecturing me?" Ash playfully asked, narrowing his eyes as Misty pouted, knowing she was caught. "I told, you; I'll be fine. You just worry about having fun, okay, Myst?" he said, turning back to Brock as well. "And you, too, Brock. You guys don't have to worry about me."

"He says with a cast on his arm," Misty groaned, shaking her head as Ash lowered his sheepishly. It was hard to believe Ash claim they did not have to worry about him as he was flying out of trees and wearing a cast on his left arm. Nevertheless, after exchanging looks, Misty and Brock knew if they had any intentions of getting home, they were going to have to leave. _I can always lecture him on the phone when I get home,_ Misty figured a tad devilishly. "But it's not like us staying here will keep you out of trouble either way," she added, Ash giggling at her remark as she flicked his hat. "Alright then," she gave in, turning back to Brock. "Let's hit the road, shall we?"

After all their time-wasting, Brock could not help but snort, "What...you mean _now_?" he asked in a sarcastically surprised manner, getting another jab from Misty as she gently shoved him off the porch. "Okay, okay...we'll go. Jeez...are you gonna' keep beating me up the _whole _way?" Brock asked, thankful at least his stop in Pewter City was _first_.

"Well, it's not like I'm gonna' have Ash around," Misty added, Togepi chirping before she got a playful jab from Ash and a "What's _that _supposed to mean?" with narrowing brown eyes.

"Oh noth-ing," Misty teased sing-songy, jabbing him right back before taking her leave with Brock. "Behave yourself, Ash," she continued to sing, waving back as Brock snickered, noticing the playfully annoyed look on Ash's face before the boy stuck his tongue out at her.

"You sound like his mom," Brock whispered as they started leaving the Ketchum's property. Passing the fence, Brock instantly knew his words were the _wrong _things to say when Misty's face lit up devilishly.

"Ya' think?" Misty beamed at Brock with _'that' _look in her eye, spinning around instantly and calling back to Ash on the porch, making sure her voice was _loud_ enough for all of Pallet Town to hear. _Oooh he's SOOO gonna' kill me, but...so what? _"And remember to change your you-know-whats everyday, Ash!" she sang, Brock nearly doubling over in hysterics before Ash leapt off the porch and ran after them.

"Both' of you _get outa' here_!" Ash yelled, though not at all threateningly, his beet-red face irresistible for his friends. Fortunately for Misty and Brock, they high-tailed it down the road like Team Rocket blasting off, their laughs fading away with them in the distance. Exhaling, Ash leaned against his fence, shaking his head and hoping the inevitable red in his face would dissipate. Of course, Ash would be lying if he said he and his friends did not have fun, though he could have done without Misty's last little comment. _I'll get her back when she returns,_ Ash smirked, heading back into his house, instantly being greeted by a widely grinning Pikachu, the little Pokemon narrowing its eyes and giggling, obviously after hearing Misty's comment. _Jeez...who DIDN'T hear it?_

"...What?" Ash asked innocently, Pikachu's presence making him feel a tad awkward. _Great...ANOTHER one to rub it in._

Pikachu would have loved to tease Pikapi all day. Instead, the mouse simply giggled again, jumping into its trainer's arms, its face instantly changing from sarcastic to a tad sympathetic. For as much fun Ash and his friends had been having, Pikachu knew deep down this short separation might be a tad disheartening. "Chupika pikachu?" _Are you okay with this?_

Blinking, Ash's attention was brought back to the matter at hand, something at least Misty's little comment drew his attention away from for a moment. His face softening, Ash bit his lip, nodding. "Yeah. I mean, it's only for a few weeks, anyway," he said, putting on a rather weak smile for Pikachu. "It'll go by in no time."

Pikachu was not too convinced. The saddened expression on Pikapi's face was rather obvious earlier, and thankfully, Brock's interruption beat him to the punch line. But even still..."Kapika chuchu pika." _You still miss them, don't you?_

Ash simply narrowed his eyes, grinning slightly. "You don't need to rub this in, Pikachu," he said matter-of-factly, making the mouse sweatdrop and squeak an apology. _Of course_ he missed them, but Ash really did not want separation anxiety overwhelming him just five minutes after Misty and Brock left, either. _Besides, they SHOULD see their families, too. _The topic of 'family' instantly averted Ash's attention, and letting his Pokemon down, Pikachu scampering off somewhere, while Ash headed for the kitchen. Delia was cooking breakfast, and Tylor was reading the newspaper at the kitchen table. _At least...Dad didn't leave...yet._

"Misty and Brock seem like nice friends, kiddo," Tylor suddenly spoke, lowering the newspaper as his son walked into the kitchen, sitting down beside his father. Yesterday was hectic, but today Ash planned on spending as much time as possible with Tylor, just incase his dad left in the near future.

"Oh, did they leave already?" Delia pouted softly, sliding some scrambled eggs on a few plates, being mindful not to fill the two extra ones now. "I was hoping they could've had some breakfast before they left. They've got a long walk ahead of them and they need their strength."

"Brock said he'd make something once they reached the Viridian City Pokemon Center, and they wanted an early start," Ash replied, also wishing that Misty and Brock had stayed for at least breakfast.

"'Viridian City'?" Tylor asked with interest. "You should've told me, I would've given them a ride. I've gotta' get back to the office anyway."

Delia's eye roll was unnoticed, but her groan certainly was not. _There he goes again, running off for more precious money._ She and Tylor had calmed down tremendously since last night, but she was still not too happy with him. The old oak tree kept looming over the house like some rotted ghost, and above all, _Can't you see your SON wants to spend some time with you, Tylor?!_ Delia wanted to yell, feeling a few heartstrings get pulled as she brought her husband and son their breakfasts, noticing how happy Ash looked to finally be able to be with his dad again. _How can you possibly ignore that, Tylor?!_

"You're...leaving again, Dad?" Ash asked softly, his joy starting to wither away back to reality. This was what he was afraid of, and he really did not want to say goodbye to _another _person that day, especially one he rarely got a chance to see.

His son's painful expression was not easy on Tylor, either. Sighing, Tylor put a hand on Ash's shoulder, though knowing that would certainly not be enough to comfort him. "Just for a little while, Ash," the man reassured, noticing Delia stifle a mocking snort at that comment, but Tylor decided to bypass it.

"But...couldn't you stay, for a little while?" Ash pleaded. He really did not want to come between Tylor's job, but...Ash really did not want to say goodbye so soon, either. "...Just for today? Please?"

"Ash, you heard your father," Delia interrupted a bit sharply, but not directing that tone to her son, but more so her husband. _What ARE you thinking, Tylor? God, would it KILL you to spend a few HOURS with him?_ "If he _has _to go back, he _HAS _to go back," she insisted a bit mockingly.

Tylor shot a glare at her, hating how Delia seemed to always put the blame on him. Of course, Tylor knew he _was _to blame, but, _What do you want me to do, Delia? _In all honesty, he _did _have a valid reason to return to the office. His boss was not too happy with him leaving so suddenly last night, and Tylor knew there was a skyscraper-tall pile of paperwork waiting on his desk. Tylor lied to Delia and said he had the night off, but in reality, Tylor was not so fortunate. "It's not that I don't want to spend some time with you, Ash," Tylor said, rubbing Ash's shoulder. "But your dad's got a lot of work waiting for him back at the office, and you don't want me to fall behind, do you?"

"Course' not," muttered Ash whilst looking down. He certainly did not want to slow down his dad's work, but Ash still wanted at least that _morning _together with his father. "Can you...at least stay for breakfast?" he asked hopefully.

"I think your father was saying something about how he was going to grab a coffee and doughnut on his way to work, isn't that right, Tylor?" Delia's question dripped with sarcasm, making Tylor cringe and roll his eyes inwardly. Despite how Delia had already given him a plate full of bacon and scrambled eggs, Tylor knew Delia's tone well, and it was a sign that he was not welcomed at the moment. Exhaling, Tylor decided it best to leave before Delia instigated a fight. Tylor was used to arguing with her, but arguing right in front of their son was _not _something Tylor wanted to do.

"Your mom's right, Ash," Tylor relented, though Delia certainly was not 'right.' Tylor never made such a suggestion, but he was smart enough to know when he overstayed his welcome, even if it _was _his own house. However, in Ash's presence, Tylor did not like to make a scene between him and Delia. Letting Delia have her way was a small price to pay for not subjecting Ash to another one of his parent's stupid fights. Patting Ash's shoulder, Tylor then got up from his seat, playing along with Delia's damned idea. He still had _plenty _of time to get to Viridian, but apparently, Delia did not care what her husband would do in his spare time, as long as he _left_. _I might as well get a jump-start on that paperwork anyway._ "Hey, if I see Misty and Brock on the way, I'll give them a ride to Viridian." _Hell, with THIS much extra time I could probably drive them to their homes._

_Great...at least THEY'LL be able to spend some time with you, _Ash thought a tad bitterly for only a moment before cursing himself. He did not want, nor like, to think so negatively, especially when Ash said last night how he did not resent his father; he _did not_. Of course, he _did_ resent not being able to spend time with Tylor, but..._that's really not Dad's fault. _"Well...okay then," Ash muttered unemotionally, but being sure to put on a small, understanding smile for Tylor and getting up to hug him. Ash loved doing so, but it was also something he instantly regretted doing. Hugging his father after months of separation made it that much harder to let go. "I love you, Dad." God, when was the last time he said that?

Of course, Tylor really did not want to leave, anymore than his son did, and part of him just wanted to say 'screw it' to his work and Delia's suggestion. Sadly, all Tylor needed to do was to look at Delia's angered face to know he had better leave. He was sick of arguing with his wife, and he did not want to get Ash involved, either. Parting, Tylor put on a small smile for his son, leaning down to Ash's level to kiss his forehead affectionately. "I love you, too, Ash," Tylor lovingly spoke, motioning down towards his son's cast. "You just worry about that healing up, okay?" Tylor smiled, happy to at least have been able to return home to make sure his son was safe.

"Well...I'd better be going," Tylor said, finally, but unwillingly, parting from Ash, sending a glance over at Delia. "Take care of him, Delia."

Despite how she really did not want to, Delia gave him a soft smile and nod. "I will," was all she could say, though. No "drive safely," and she certainly could not bring herself to kiss him goodbye. Delia simply felt far too angry and annoyed with her husband to give him such affections. Deprivation was small punishment, but Delia felt Tylor deserved it. _Maybe if he keeps getting deprived of things he'll want to spend more time with his family, not that it ever worked before._

Tylor knew he was not going to get much more out of Delia, and he was not too surprised. Making sure he had his keys, he then reluctantly left the kitchen, heading for the front door. _Jeez, Delia. You keep blaming me for not spending time with Ash, but you keep pushing me away from him, too. I bet THAT never crossed your mind, _Tylor thought bitterly, opening the front door and nearly slamming it behind him…before almost colliding into a person on the porch. Both startled men were taken aback suddenly by the near encounter. Stopping and regaining himself, Tylor blinked, recognizing the man in front of him instantly. "Sam?" he asked. "What're you doing here?"

Seeming to be taken aback, himself, Professor Oak chuckled slightly. "Delia called last night and told me what happened. I just wanted to see how Ash is doing."

Tylor could not help but smile appreciatively at his old friend. Hell, he and Sam had known each other so long the Oaks were practically family. "He's okay. Got' himself another cast on his arm, but other than that, he's okay."

"Thank God," Sam sighed, though he did not seem too relieved in knowing how Ash did indeed break his arm. Of course, the professor was well aware of how accident-prone the boy was too...that _was _why Sam visited, after all. Motioning downward, Professor Oak placed a hand on another arrival's shoulder; one Tylor had yet to notice until now. "Anyway, Gary and I just wanted to see how he was doing," Sam added, while Gary nodded in agreement.

Of course, Tylor was not oblivious to the rivalry that had sparked between Ash and Gary over the years, but he doubted anything would start, considering Ash's injury. Plus, Gary did indeed look concerned, far more concerned than Tylor originally figured. _Of course, they had been friends for years before this rivalry started up...Gary's probably concerned about his friend. _Smiling, Tylor invited the Oaks in, calling back out to Delia of their guests.

"You weren't going anywhere, were you, Tylor?" Sam asked casually and curiously as he and his grandson sat down on the living room couch. Tylor could not help but chuckle as his old friend still seemed to be able to read him like a book.

"Actually, I was gonna' head back to the office," Tylor admitted, though he did not do anything to hide his regret about that. Sam knew all about Tylor and Delia's situation, and when Delia briefly kicked Tylor out of the house, Tylor would use the 'office' excuse as cover up. Now, apparently, was no different.

"Well, would you mind if we talked for a few minutes?" Sam proposed as Delia suddenly strolled in the living room with a bright smile on her face. In her hands was a tray of freshly brewed coffee with ample amounts of cups for the sudden guests.

"Well hello, Professor!" Delia greeted harmoniously, a great contrast to her little attitude a moment ago concerning Tylor. Setting the tray down, she smiled warmly at the two Oaks on the sofa. "And hello to you too, Gary. I hope I didn't worry you two last night when I called."

Truth be told, she _did_ worry them, but Professor Oak figured it best to bypass that. "Not at all. We just wanted to make sure Ash was alright."

"Oh he's fine, though he's gonna' have his arm in a cast for a while," Delia admitted, sitting down on a nearby chair across the coffee table. Tylor could tell she was purposely avoiding her still-standing husband, as if Tylor was no longer in the living room. "He's out back right now, if you want to see him, Gary," Delia offered the brunette boy, Gary perking at being addressed.

"I...don't want to bother him," Gary muttered gently and honestly. He knew his presence had a tendency to irk Ash sometimes, and Gary really did not want to instigate anything _today_.

"Oh don't be silly," Delia reassured with a wave of her hand, practically insisting. "Go right ahead. His friends went back to their homes for a little while, so I'm sure Ash could use the company."

Gary turned back to his grandfather, exchanging a rather nervous look, unsure if he should take Mrs. Ketchum's offer. Professor Oak simply gave his grandson a reassuring nod, cueing Gary to leave the grown-ups to their own devices in the living room. Gary really did not know what he was going to say to Ash, though.

Once Gary left out the back door, Sam turned back to Delia and Tylor. The older man took a deep breath as he noticed Tylor sit down on another chair adjacent to the sofa. Both Delia and Tylor had been close friends of the professor's for so long, and yet...

"Del, Ty..." Professor Oak started, glancing at both of them before continuing. "I'm...now, you both know I'm well aware of how well you take care of Ash."

Blinking, Delia and Tylor exchanged looks for a moment. Why did the professor sound...so nervous? Gary seemed a tad skittish, himself, but why? "Sam…what're you talking about?" Tylor asked cautiously, not liking the tone in his friend's voice.

"And…let's face it..." Sam continued, doing his best to remain as calm and gentle as possible. "Ash..._does _attract accidents, even though they _are _nothing more than accidents."

Delia was the one to speak up this time. "Sam…what's this about?" she gently asked. She had not known Sam for quite as long as Tylor, but Delia had grown very close to the professor ever since she married Tylor and moved to Pallet Town. Delia considered Sam and his family to be part of her own now. Sam's son, Nick, was a childhood friend of Tylor's, and Nick's wife, Mary Anne, became like a sister to Delia. In fact, Delia had even spoken to Mary Anne yesterday after the ordeal with Ash's accident. Delia even considered Nick and Mary Anne's children, May and Gary, to be almost like her own. May babysat Ash when he was younger, and Gary had been her son's first closest friend.

So whenever Delia heard one of the Oaks speaking to her as Sam was now, she could not help but feel uncomfortable. She did not like the professor's concerned tone, and thinking back on it, she did not like how nervous and quiet Gary had been acting, either. "Sam…is something wrong?"

Sighing and shaking his head, Sam folded his hands, clearly not relishing what he was about to tell Delia and Tylor, but knowing they had every right to know. "Tylor, Delia...there...have been some very..._derogatory _rumors flying around lately."

Delia and Tylor both gasped silently, blinking in absolute shock. "What rumors, Sam?" Tylor asked, or more so demanded. "You mean, about _us_?"

Unfortunately, Sam knew he was going to have to be honest. "Yes," he nodded, noticing a hand started to cover Delia's mouth, concealing the lower portion of her exasperated expression. She looked like she had just seen a ghost, and Tylor, though far more angered than anything else, did not look much better.

"But...what _kind _of rumors, Sam?" Delia dared to ask, her voice slightly trembling, dreading to hear the rest.

"Heavens knows, but_ I _sure don't know where this started," Sam admitted, burying his face into his hands for only a moment, seeming to have just as shocked as Delia and Tylor. "But...all I have heard is..." he paused, raising his head to look back at his two shocked friends, friends Sam knew for years. Sam was already certain the rumors were not true, he _knew_ it, but...

"Sam…please tell us," Delia insisted. She did not appear ready to hear the truth, but her request was more out of necessity than desire. She and her husband _needed _to hear this.

Exhaling again, Professor Oak nodded. He owed his friends the truth. "There's...a rumor going around town that..." he paused, hardly able to believe it, himself. "...Ash's accidents...aren't _really _accidents."

Tylor and Delia's mouths dropped open, flabbergasted beyond belief at what Sam just told them. _Not really accidents?! _"What the hell do they think these accidents _are_, then?" Tylor blurted out, a tad more angrily and loudly than he intended. He certainly had no intentions of taking out his anger on Sam, a person who was clearly just as stunned as him.

"They think it's..." Sam started, biting his lip, noticing a few dreadful tears gloss over Delia's brown eyes. This was going to be especially difficult for her, though Sam knew Tylor was not going to take the news easily. "Believe me, this is the _last _thing I'd want to burden you two with right now," Sam admitted honestly.

"Just tell us, Sam," Delia insisted, swallowing some tears in an attempt to remain strong. She _had _to hear this, whether she liked it, or was ready for it, or not.

"They think it's..." Sam repeated, taking a deep breath and bracing himself for the inevitable. "...Child abuse."

- - - - - - - - - -

"How are you feeling, Ash?" Gary asked casually, sitting down next to his past friend, now rival, on the back porch of the Ketchum house. From here, Gary briefly noticed the warm morning scenery in the far, rural distance. It was a beautiful morning, but Gary certainly could not enjoy it, not after what he heard earlier.

"I've been better," Ash answered, motioning towards his left arm, in a cast once again. Both boys felt like they had been tossed back in time to when they were six years old, when Ash first broke that arm. It was bitterly ironic, really.

Of course, Ash was not entirely referring to his arm, either. Misty and Brock were gone for a few weeks, and he was not going to be able to spend some much-wanted time with his father. When he went outside, Ash originally just wanted to be alone. Honestly, he was a tad angry with his mom, since Ash noticed how Delia did absolutely nothing to keep Tylor home, and more so _encouraged_ his leave.

But dominantly, the reason Ash felt so down was because as soon as Tylor parted from their embrace, Ash felt an overwhelming sense of loss and loneliness. He did not want his dad to leave…not now…not so soon. Technically, going outside alone was not a remedy for loneliness, but it did prevent an audience from seeing him cry. That is, until Gary, of all people, had to poke his nose outside. Ash just hoped he had somewhat composed himself well enough so his rival could not tease him. Gary had a knack for things like that.

_But then again..._Gary had been behaving a little differently today. Ash figured the rival would have talked up a storm about all his recent grand accomplishments. Usually, it was second nature for Gary Oak to rub it in how he had x-amount _more _badges and x-amount _more_ Pokemon than Ash, and Ash _really_ did not want to hear it right now.

_But then again..._Gary did not start teasing and mocking him, either. Instead, the rival seemed almost..._worried_. Gary obviously heard about the accident, and Ash was somewhat figuring Gary would get a kick out of it; Ash still falling out of trees, as if he was six years old all over again. But then again, when Ash fell at age six, Gary _had _been worried about him, so maybe this recent episode sparked some old nostalgic concern from their old friendship. Either way, Ash was at least happy Gary was acting _somewhat _human...for now. _Knowing Gary, there's GOT to be an angle. Any minute he'll probably start laughing and remind me how lame and stupid I am._

But Gary never did, and while Ash would be lying if he said he did not like it, he would also be lying if he said Gary's quietness and concern did not worry him. It was simply not like Gary to behave like this, especially towards Ash. "Is there...something wrong, Gary?" Ash figured to ask. "You..." _haven't been pissing me off yet_, but Ash decided not to provoke his rival. "...You've been quiet." _Gary being quiet is almost as rare as a tie-dyed Dragonite._

Gary started fiddling with his fingers, looking a tad nervous. In fact, Ash could not _remember _the last time he actually saw Gary Oak nervous. Normally, the guy was so damn cocky and full of himself that he never had _time _to be nervous.

"I...uh..." Gary stuttered, clearly looking very concerned and hesitant, which all the more baffled Ash. Gary was arrogant, but kept a pretty level head in situations, too. To see him avoid eye contact or fiddle nervously with his hands was a rarity Ash doubted would lead to anything good. Something was wrong; it was written _all over_ Gary's face.

"Look..." Gary began again, finally folding his hands tightly in a small attempt to keep calm. In all honesty, Gary _was_ nervous. Something like this had never happened before, and as he looked back at Ash, Gary honestly felt sorry for his old rival; not the usual 'I feel sorry for Ash cause' he's a looser,' but honest to goodness sympathy. _Rival or not, nobody deserves what he's gone through, _Gary had to admit. "I just wanted to say...I'm sorry, Ash."

Ash blinked. Normally, whenever Gary said 'sorry,' it was usually accompanied by some snide remark, such as 'I feel sorry for your Pokemon.' Either that, or it was to lead Ash into a false sense of security. When they were little, Gary once 'apologized' to Ash, claiming Gary 'accidentally' told May that Ash had a little crush on her. Of course, one had to keep in mind that this whole 'apology' took place _right in front _of May. Just as Gary predicted, Ash fell for the fake sympathy, and naively said, "It's okay if you told May I had a crush on her, really," _right in front of May_. Catch was, afterwards, May gasped, "You have a crush on me, Ash?" Gary burst into hysterics a second later, laughing out "Sucker!" while Ash covered his own big mouth, instantly realizing the trick. Apparently, Gary never _really_ toldMay that little secret in the first place, but set Ash up to blab it, himself. _Oh_, how Gary _loved _the look on Ash's face that day! Gary had seen _roses _that were not that bright a red!

This time around though, nobody else was around for Gary's 'apology,' meaning either the guy had a tape recorder hidden in his pocket for blackmail, or..._he's REALLY sorry about something. But what?_ Ash could only wonder.

"What're you talking about, Gary?" Ash questioned a tad cautiously. To what Ash could recall, Gary had not done anything to him _lately _that would require any apologies. Thus, either this was a gag or Gary was aware of something Ash was not.

"Well...you' know," Gary said, his blue eyes falling back down to the cast on Ash's arm, the cast bearing sympathetic signatures from Ash's friends and Pokemon. It was ironically bittersweet. Gary remembered signing Ash's cast back when he broke that _same _arm at age six. But in addition to the friends and Pokemon signatures, Gary noticed two other distinct ones: those from Delia and Tylor.

_Get well soon. Love, Mom and Dad._

Gary felt a small bit of anger flare up inside of him. "Hypocrites," he muttered under his breath, a hand flying to his mouth a second later when Ash perked at his rival's word.

"What?" Ash gasped, looking down at his cast, trying to figure out what Gary was referring to. _Did Gary just...call Mom, Dad, Misty, Brock, everyone...HIPPOCRITES?!_ "What the hell are you talking about, Gary!?" snapped Ash, drawing his signed arm away from his rival, feeling a bit uncomfortable at the particular way Gary was gawking at it. "Out with it; what's with you?"

Gary bit his lip...he _actually _bit his lip. "Well...you' know, Ash," Gary murmured, motioning towards Ash's broken arm.

"No, I _don't _know. Enlighten me as to what I _should _know."

"Ash come' on, you don't have to hide it," Gary encouraged, actually placing a hand on his old rival's shoulder. Ash was starting to feel _very _nervous all of a sudden. Gary was acting _beyond _weird. "Everyone knows."

As if Ash was not already confused enough, he was even _more_ confused by Gary's last words. "Everyone knows _what_?!" the black-haired boy exclaimed, whipping Gary's hand away. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Exhaling, Gary shook his head. "Ash, everyone knows how you broke your arm."

"Yeah..._so_?" Ash snarled, getting a tad irritated by Gary beating around some mysterious bush. "I fell out of a tree. You' gonna' make me the laughing stock of Pallet again or what?"

"Oh _come' on_, Ash," Gary groaned, continuously shaking his head. "You don't have to tell _me _that lame excuse. Everyone knows what really happened."

Ash opened his mouth to counter Gary's remark, but nothing came out. Blinking, Ash took a moment to take in Gary's last sentence. "_Really _happened?" Ash asked in confusion, blinking wildly as Gary nodded, almost trying to confirm something. "What do you mean, what _'really' _happened? I fell out of the tree, _that's _what 'really happened'."

"Okay, okay," Gary humored with a nod. "If that's what your parents wanted you to tell people, that's fine. But you really don't have to lie to _me_, Ash. I mean, I know we're rivals, but something like this..."

"What the hell do you mean, 'what my parents _wanted _me to tell people'?!" Ash blasted, silencing Gary instantly. For a moment, Gary sounded so kind and sympathetic that it seemed like he wanted to forget their stupid rivalry. But...all of that was lost to Ash. "You' think this is a _lie_? That I _didn't _fall out of the tree?!" Ash yelled, pointing at his cast. "Then what the hell do you thinkcaused this?!"

And that was when Ash was completely blown away. As if Gary had not been acting anti-Gary enough, Ash was dumbfounded when he felt Gary place a hand back on his shoulder, with an expression on his face featuring nothing but sheer sympathy and concern. Ash had not seen that look since he first broke his left arm at age six...and now...

"Ash, it's okay, really," Gary reassured, gently rubbing his confused rival's, and old friend's, shoulder. "Everyone knows what your parents have been doing to you. You don't have to hide it anymore-"

Gary's last word was cut off as his comforting hand was shoved away, Ash jumping to his feet and glaring back down at his rival, enrage ever apparent in his brown eyes. "Is _that _what you think's going on?!" Ash blasted as Gary stumbled to his feet, both of them standing on the back patio, one boy clearly concerned and the other boy clearly enraged.

"Everyone _knows_, Ash," Gary said matter-of-factly. "I understand you didn't want people to know, but, now that they do, you don't need to pretend."

"PRETEND _WHAT_?!" Ash screamed, balling his fists, his left arm instantly aching from the action, but Ash did not care anymore. _Never _in his life did he _ever _hear something so preposterous. "Are you implying my parents..." Ash could barely even utter such a vile word, gritting his teeth as the uncontrollable rage overwhelmed him. "They would never do that! _NEVER_! I don't know who the hell told you such things, but it's _NOT TRUE_!"

"Ash, _come' on_, don't give me that," Gary replied, not sharply or sarcastically but obviously getting a tad annoyed by Ash's stubbornness. "I mean, I know some of your accidents were real. Hell, I was there when you first broke your arm. But come' on, how many times can one kid fall down a staircase, or fall out of a tree a _second_ time and break the _same _arm, Ash?"

"Alright, I get it! I'm a walking disaster! Is _that _what you want to hear!?" Ash yelled, furious at how Gary kept insisting such vile things. "I'm a klutz...go ahead and announce _that _to the presses, but don't you _DARE _say such things about my parents!"

"I'm not the one who started this, Ash," Gary openly defended. "I don't know who did, but word's all over town now."

Ash gasped, taking a step back at that note. "W-what do you mean?" he asked, swallowing a sudden lump in his throat. "There are..._others _who believe this?"

"I already told you, Ash," Gary repeated. "..._Everyone _in town knows."

"Knows _WHAT_?!"

"About your parents _abusing _you, Ash!" Gary blasted loudly, causing his rival's eyes to widen in absolute horror. "God, you don't need to deny it anymore, cause' everyone knows now."

Gary kept on saying something semi-reassuring about how 'the secret was out,' but Ash heard none of it.

_"Everyone knows what your parents have been doing to you."_

_"About your parents abusing you, Ash!" _

_But...they don't,_ Ash kept telling himself, shaking his head, suddenly feeling faint. Ash knew what Gary was saying was simply not true. Delia and Tylor never hurt him, the extent being a rare spank when he was little. But his mother and father never did _any _of the things Gary was insinuating.

And the worst part was, this was not some stupid rumor or gag of Gary's...the whole _town _believed it. _But...WHY? Why would they think like that? _Ash figured it was a known factor throughout Pallet Town that he was an accident-prone kid, and while it was sometimes embarrassing for him, Ash never thought it could lead to…_this_.

_But...Mom and Dad don't do that._

_They would NEVER hurt me!_

_NEVER!!!_

"SHUT UP!!" Ash blasted, silencing whatever Gary had been saying. His rival jumped slightly, not that Ash really noticed, due to his eyes being shut so tightly, trying in some way to block out such vile and indecent thoughts. It was bad enough when there were rumors flying around about Tylor cheating on Delia...but this, this was even _worse_. "You don't know what the hell you're talking about!"

"Ash...it's okay," Gary insisted. He did not like seeing his old friend in such denial. Ash was a rival, but times like these, Gary did not allow rivalry to dominate. Rival or not, what happened to Ash was simply cruel and uncalled for, and _nobody_ deserved it.

"NO IT'S _NOT_!!" Ash screamed, stomping his foot again and shaking his head wildly. "My mom and dad would _NEVER _do that to me! I'm not denying _anything_! It's the _TRUTH_!!" he bawled, tears so quickly escaping through the corners of his shut eyes. He had never heard such a vile accusation of his parents before in all his life, and it simply was not true. Coughing back a sob, Ash did not even give Gary another chance to 'comfort' him. "My parents _LOVE _me!" he cried, running back into the house, leaving his stunned rival behind on the patio.

Apparently, their years of rivalry prevented Ash from accepting Gary's comfort. _Or perhaps, _Gary figured, shaking his head and sitting back down on the patio, stealing another glance back at the beautiful morning scenery of Pallet Town.

_Perhaps he just doesn't WANT to believe it._

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**Next Episode: "Plans and Fears"**

**A/N**: Now you can see where this story is going. I know, I know; _Gary_ acting _sympathetic_?! Well, he _can_ be a jerk, but I really can't picture Gary actually making fun of Ash in a situation like this. I mean, Gary's been an ass before, but I really can't picture him making fun of Ash being abused, I just can't. Something like that is just plain not funny. Truthfully, there _is_ a valid reason for why Gary's acting this way, though it won't be revealed until later on. Thus, you may want to hold off on the 'OOC flames' until this story comes full circle (though if it makes you happier, flame away. I'll understand). Actually, I've got a soft spot for stories portraying Ash and Gary as friends (I suppose I've got a bit of Rivalshipping in my blood, though I tend to go more for Rival"friendship"ing than full-blown yaoi [at least where Ash/Gary are concerned. I'd be lying if said I didn't have a weakness for some yaoi pairs, though most of my "weaknesses" are outside the Pokemon realm]). So, why does Professor Oak not believe the lies, while Gary, his own grandson, _does_? You'll have to wait and see. What'll happen to Sato-Chan, especially since Misty and Brock aren't around to comfort him?

Liked it? Hated it? Lemmie know with a review, pretty please.


	3. Plans and Fears

**COPYRIGHT NOTE**: I don't own _Pokemon / Pocket Monsters_. Any extra characters mentioned in this fanfic that are outside the copyrighted _Pokemon_ cast are entirely fictional.

**COMMENTS**: Many thankies for everyone who's reviewed this story to far. I'm very happy with reception this story has been getting. I sincerely appreciate the reviews and hope all of you continue to enjoy this fic. Not to sound cliché but your kind comments _do_ brighten my day and encourage me to work harder. One reviewer said my updates are like a weekly soap opera, but your reviews are like weekly treats for _me_, too (since I can only get around to actually reading your comments about once a week right now). Thus, everyone gets a weekly dosage of happiness (^_^). I certainly hope you continue to enjoy this story.

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**NOTHING BUT LIES**

_**Aiselne Phoenix**_

**Chapter 3: "Plans and Fears"**

"Ash?!" Delia choked, suddenly jumping to her feet and alarming Tylor and Sam, while her son came running through the back of the living room. The boy nearly rushed right upstairs before hearing the sound of his concerned mother's voice. Halting, Ash panted heavily and rapidly wiped his eyes with his good arm. After unintentionally attracting the adult's attention the boy attempted to compose himself before turning to face his audience.

"Ash, what's wrong?" Tylor asked, getting to his feet as he took note of his son; barging into the room with tears evidently streaming down his face a moment ago. Granted, it was certainly not the first time during that morning tears were shed. Delia had been silently shedding quite a few tears whilst Sam relayed the most outrageous and unbelievable story Tylor had _ever _heard. Delia had every right to be upset, but..._Why's Ash so upset?_ wondered Tylor._ He was outside with Gary when Sam was talking, so..._

_...What the hell did Gary tell him?!_

"Ash, honey, what's wrong?" Delia wanted to know, wiping her own eyes to compose herself for her son's sake. She was thinking just the same was Tylor was; what _else _was the explanation for Ash acting to upset, conveniently when Sam was relaying such devastating news? _Oh God, though... _Delia frightfully sniffled. _Please...don't let him know this. Not this!_

But her prayers were not answered. A second later, Ash ran over to her, crashing into Delia's arms and crying loudly, burying his tear-stained face into her side. "It's not true, M-Mom! I _know _it's not!" he sobbed, Delia holding him tightly as she exchanged a tearful look with her husband. Both adults appeared as though someone had just done the unimaginable to their family. Delia and Tylor finding out such vile rumors was bad enough...but having _Ash_ learn them out was even _worse_.

"Oh baby," choked Delia, parting just enough to kneel down to her son's level and rest his crying head on her shoulder, holding him in a tight embrace. "Of course it's not true, sweetie," she reassured, looking over at her husband for her own reassurance, though Delia knew Tylor had no more answers than she did.

"I think we should get going," the three suddenly heard, Delia and Tylor turning towards Sam as he rose from the couch. Professor Oak knew such news was going to devastate the Ketchums and he did not want to make them feel even worse. _Plus..._ Sam assumed with a mental scoff. _I have a feeling my grandson said a bit too much._ Sam knew Gary believed the rumors but the grandfather was praying the boy was mature enough to know when to keep his damned mouth shut. _Obviously, Gary doesn't. _But this was neither the time nor the place to scold Gary, either. "I'll just leave by the back and pick up Gary at the same time."

"Sam…" Tylor spoke, walking over to the man and placing a hand on his shoulder. "Thank you for telling us. Really," while Tylor nodded appreciatively. This was not news he and his family relished hearing. Even still, Tylor was grateful for Professor Oak informing them before they found out from a less benevolent person in town. "I appreciate it."

Sam smiled gently, placing his own hand on the man's shoulder. "I'm sorry about all of this, Ty," he felt obliged to say, stealing a glance back over at Delia still hugging Ash. "And…I'm sorry for whatever Gary might have said to Ash," Sam added, shooting a glare out through the kitchen window as he noticed Gary waiting outside for him, cringing at the glare. "I just...wanted you to know about all this."

"I know," Tylor nodded understandingly once more. "Thank you again, Sam." With that, Sam decided to take his leave, Tylor walking him to the back door where Gary nervously awaited his clearly displeased grandfather. It was obvious that Sam and Gary were going to have a very _long _talk when they got home.

"For what it's worth, Ty," began Sam, turning back to his friend for a moment. "I don't believe a word of it. I'd be more than happy to help you and Delia clear up these rumors." _It's the least I can do after whatever the hell Gary said to Ash._

Tylor could not help but smile appreciatively. Sam had always been looking out for him and his family and Tylor always felt indebted to the professor. "Thanks, Sam," he repeated, this time with even more gratitude than before. "But, I don't want to get you involved-"

"Oh, don't worry about _me_, Ty," Professor Oak reassured, opening the back door and readying his leave. "I may be old but I'm a renown Pokemon researcher. When I say something, people _listen_."

Tylor could not argue with that. Samuel Oak was considered even more influential than the mayor sometimes, namely because the professor was affiliated with the Pokemon League, which easily overrode simple town councilmen. Thus, there was no ounce of lies in the professor's words: when Sam spoke, people _did_ listen, and some of those 'people' tended to be _very_ influential, too. If Sam was willing to help in their strife, Tylor knew he was in good hands.

Bidding each other farewell once again, Sam and Gary then left, a few 'I didn't start anything!' lines heard from Gary as Sam marched him back to their house. However, Tylor did not want to read too deeply in whatever Gary said to Ash. Right now, as Tylor returned to the living room, he knew he had _much _more important things to concern himself with.

Ever since Tylor and Professor Oak left the living room, Delia had brought Ash to the sofa. She was still embracing him but, at the very least, she managed to sit herself and Ash down on the couch. Delia had not even tried to explain the situation at the moment, since she knew Ash was too upset to listen, anyway. As a result, she just kept rubbing his back while the boy softly cried. Upon Tylor's re-entry into the living room, his wife looked up back at him, never uttering a word but her thoughts pretty obvious to him.

_What do we do, now?_

Running a hand through his black hair, Tylor exhaled, feeling a sudden headache begin to form. It had been a hell of a few hours since he returned to Pallet Town: his son broke his arm, Delia and Tylor's arguments, and now..._this_! _Dear lord God...who the hell thought such a thing? _According to Sam, nobody knew who instigated this, meaning Sam figured the rumors got blown out of proportion by simply making their way through the gossip grapevine. And if that was the case, then there was not _one _person responsible for these rumors, which was _not _going to make the Ketchum's battle easy.

Even so, Tylor sat down on the sofa next to his wife and son, placing a hand Ash's trembling shoulder, the boy sitting between his mother and father. Tylor knew he was going to have to figure out a way of clarifying this matter, but first and foremost, he had to help his son. "Hey, don't cry, Ash," Tylor cooed gently, comfortingly squeezing his son's vibrating shoulder. "We all know it's not true."

Sniffling, Ash raised his tear-soaked face from Delia's shoulder, looking over at his father through reddened eyes. "B-but...Dad...how can they t-think like that?" Ash sobbed, resting his head back on Delia's shoulder, never taking his tear-filled eyes off Tylor.

"We don't know," Tylor admitted defeatedly, knowing what he said was a lousy excuse, one that would not comfort his son at all. But what else could Tylor say?

Delia decided another approach. "Honey..." she gently started, grabbing Ash's attention back to her as she stroked his hair, tears still stinging her own eyes. She had been crying when Sam relayed the news, but seeing her son crying was even harder on her. "...What did Gary tell you?"

Ash bit his quivering lip, thinking back on his fight with Gary that just happened. Well, it really was not a 'fight,' but more so Gary suggesting such unimaginable lies about Ash's parents. Ash did not even think he could _speak _such lies. However, as he swallowed a few sobs, Ash knew his parents had the right to know what Gary claimed. The lies _were _about Tylor and Delia, after all.

He did not know how much he could divulge, but Ash tried his best. "He s-said...everyone in town thinks...t-thinks..." Unfortunately, Ash did not get very far before momentarily breaking down, weeping into Delia's shoulder as he felt her continue to stroke his hair and Tylor massaged his shoulder. The signs of affection were all the proof Ash needed of how ludicrous the rumors were. "They...t-think you're..." Ash simply could not speak the word; just _thinking _about it sent more tears down his face, and attempting to speak it made it only worse. "...H-hurting me." That was not _much_ easier to say, but it _was _easier.

"But I _know _it's not true!" Ash wailed, shaking his head viciously to try and keep blocking out such disturbing rumors. "...You'd _never_...d-do that to me! You both l-love me, and…" he choked, looking up at both his mother and father, both looking just as pained and hurt as he felt. "...A-and…I just...c-can't believe people could t-think that way...about you." Tylor and Delia were not merely his parents; they were two of the kindest and loving people Ash ever met. Sure, the spouses argued amongst themselves countless times. However, when it came to others, and especially their son, Tylor and Delia Ketchum were loving people. To think, there were other others who thought Delia and Tylor could ever hurt their own son..."I..." Ash sobbed, pursing his lips as tears ceaselessly cascaded down his young face. "...And…I love you, t-too."

Delia could not restrain her own tears as she hugged her crying son tightly. "Oh sweetie. We love you too, so very much," she choked, stealing a nodding glance over at her husband, his own eyes glossed from his son's touching words.

"That's why...we know it's not true, Ash," comforted Tylor, still just getting over the initial shock of the rumors, himself. "...And you don't need to convince us, otherwise, kiddo," he smiled, still deeply touched by Ash's heart-felt honesty during such a devastating matter. "We know the truth." _And frankly, screw anyone else who doesn't believe it! _Tylor was not about to let such disgusting lies ruin his family.

"B-but..." Ash choked, wiping his eyes, though tears still split out of them. "...Maybe i-if I wasn't always getting hurt-"

"Ash, don't blame yourself for this," Tylor firmly spoke, not intending to upset the boy but to prevent Ash from inflicting any _more_ pain upon himself. "This isn't _any _of our faults!"

"I know, but...when I k-kept telling Gary that, he...just thought I was h-hiding the 'truth'!" Ash wept, shaking his head in despair at his rival's ignorance. "...L-like' I was hiding the truth about you...hurting me, as if I was in d-denial or something."

"But honey, we know what's really true," Delia cooed, biting her lip as she noticed the cast on Ash's left arm. It _was _just a simple accident, and to think something like that, along with all the other innocent mishaps Ash got himself into, could get misconstrued into something so vile.

"But nobody believes us!" Ash bawled loudly and angrily, not angrily at his parents but angrily at his own hometown. "Gary didn't! Who's to say e-everyone else in town will believe us?! He said that was what _everybody _t-thought!"

"We'll straighten things out, I promise," Tylor swore, putting as much confidence in his voice to calm the fears of his little boy. "Professor Oak said he'd help us, and I'm gonna' talk to people in town. I know a lot of people, Ash, and they know me. Don't forget I've lived here my _whole life_." His reminder provoked Ash to raise his head and look up at his father, Tylor smiling gently as he wiped some of his son's tears away. "Just like you, kiddo. Don't worry, I promise things will go back to normal, just like the last time people were saying nasty things about us."

Ash blinked, again remembering about the time rumors spread about Tylor cheating on Delia. And just as Tylor said, things went back to normal. Ash did not know _how_ they went 'back to normal,' but he trusted his father. If Tylor said he could rectify matters, he would. The rumors still hurt, but at the very least Ash felt a bit better knowing these lies would not be around for much longer. Wiping his eyes, Ash put on a small smile, nodding in slight confidence. There was no doubt in his mind that Tylor would settle this fiasco.

"Honey, why don't you upstairs?" Delia suggested, slowly parting her embrace and kissing Ash's forehead. "Your dad and I need some time to figure this out, and I think you need some time to calm down," she figured understandingly. Delia wanted to continue comforting Ash, but what she said was true; she and Tylor had much to discuss, and she did not want their son around, _just in case._ Delia was cautious in the event the 'discussion' with her husband became an 'argument,' like so many other discussions the adults shared over the years.

Understandingly, Ash reluctantly nodded, wiping his eyes again and getting to his feet, not before giving his parents loving hugs and kisses. He wanted to make sure Delia and Tylor knew Ash did not believe those lies for a moment and that the rumors did not change his view on them whatsoever. Plus, showing such signs of affection made them feel better, and it made Ash feel better, too.

After bidding his parents goodbye, Ash went upstairs to his room. Sitting down on his bed, he stared absentmindedly down at his left arm, the signatures on his cast looking back up at him. An overwhelming sense of loneliness started to wash over Ash as he noticed Misty and Brock's signatures, reminding him how they were not around to help him get through this. Plus, Ash knew he simply could not telephone them. In actuality, it had only been an hour and a half since Misty and Brock left, and there was no chance they reached their homes already.

"Pikapi?"

Blinking, Ash perked up, noticing Pikachu lying down on the carpet by his desk. The mouse gazed up at its trainer with its worried brown eyes, obviously noticing the agonized look on Ash's damp face. Instinctively, the electric rodent scampered to the bunk bed to be taken into Ash's arms. Not a second later, Pikachu felt its trainer burry his face into the Pokemon's soft fur, some of it dampening by a fresh stream of rolling tears.

_Get well soon, love Mom and Dad._

_Their_ signatures were on Ash's cast, too. They were tender signatures from the two people who brought him into this world and raised him with unparalleled love. Ash knew his family was not perfect, especially since his parents often argued, and his dad was often absent due to his job. However, Ash knew he was very lucky to have Tylor and Delia for parents. For all of their 'flaws,' his mom and dad did not do anything worse than work and bicker, and _never_ did things like drugs, alcohol, gambling, cheating...

_...And certainly not abuse! _Ash's mind swore, shaking his head in despair. How the hell did matters come to this? When Ash broke his arm, he originally worried about dislocation… never repercussions such as like _this_! Frankly, he would have preferred to loose his _whole _arm if it meant these rumors would not start flying around.

And the worst part was, Ash felt absolutely powerless in this matter. For all intents and purposes, he was the so-called 'victim' of the 'abuse,' and yet he had no say in clarifying this matter. He trusted Tylor and Delia, but Ash hated knowing there was nothing he could do to help them. And in all honesty, Ash did not feel the victim of anything...he believed his _parents _were the victims. They were the ones being falsely accused, not him.

"What do I do, Pikachu?" Ash choked, knowing well enough though that if his parents did not have the answers, Pikachu certainly did not. Looking down at the mouse's face, Ash swallowed a few tears. "You...you know my parents are good people, right pal?"

Pikachu blinked, taken aback by its master's question. _Of course_ Pikapi's parents were good people. Pikapi was a good person, so the two people who helped create and raise him must be good people, too. "Chu." _Yes. _That was all Pikachu could say, and the mouse figured it provided a good answer to its master's question. Alas, Ash simply buried his face again, crying even harder than before.

"S-so do I, buddy. So do I-I."

- - - - - - - - - -

"I just can't believe this," Delia moaned, burying her face into her hands as she and Tylor sat at the kitchen table, taking a few moments to try and figure matters out for themselves. Where was one to begin with something like this? Delia and Tylor knew the truth, their son knew the truth, and yet...why did the rest of the town not know the truth?

"I'm gonna' have to talk to some people," Tylor answered, continuously shaking his head in disbelief over these asinine lies floating around his hometown. "Geoffrey, Kent, Leo...I'm sure they'll help us legally, and get some good word of mouth around here."

Delia nodded in agreement to the wise plan. Geoffrey and Kent Robinson had been childhood friends of Tylor's and now both were well-known lawyers. Hell, Geoffrey was even the Ketchum's lawyer. Leo Morris was not only another close friend and traveling buddy of Tylor's, but Pallet Town's current mayor, too. Tylor knew some very influential people in town, and along with Sam, Tylor had plenty of people who could help him straighten this matter.

"That's what we need, right now," Tylor figured. "Protection, while countering these negative rumors with positive ones." _That was what helped us so greatly the last time this happened._ "Of course, we're going to need proof, too."

"I'll ask the doctors if they can make copies of Ash's medical records, or at least give us a doctor's confirmation negating these rumors," Delia replied. "I mean, doctor's can usually tell when an injury's caused by an accident and when it's caused by abuse." The last word was especially difficult for Delia to speak. To think: her own neighbors believed her and her husband to be _child abusers_! _What in God's name are they thinking? ARE they thinking?_ Shaking her head, Delia felt it best not to read too deeply right now. She and her husband needed to keep level heads if they planned on rectifying this problem. "And I'm sure Mary Anne could help pass some good word of mouth around, too."

Tylor nodded with an agreeing eye roll. _God knows,_ Mary Anne Oak was head of the largest women's guild in town, and a master of the latest gossip. If anyone could spread good gossip, it was she. There was no doubt in Tylor's head that Mary Anne would help Delia since the two women were as close as sisters. "Well, at the very least, the odds aren't _completely _against us," Tylor sighed, getting up to pour him and his wife each a glass of tap water, one Delia was more than grateful to accept.

Finishing her water in nearly two gulps, Delia also exhaled, nodding slowly. "Yeah, but..." she paused, biting her lip as she gazed absentmindedly into the empty glass in her hand. Placing the cup down, Delia remained silent, before changing her gaze back to her husband across the table. "Oh Tylor, how could this have happened? Ash has gotten into accidents before and nobody ever thought like _this_."

Finishing his own water, Tylor shrugged, shaking his head sadly. "Del, I don't know," he admitted, looking away for a moment before turning back at her. "Even Sam doesn't know, and if what he said was true, these rumors could have simply mushroomed out of proportion by simply passing from one person to another. That's what happened last time, after all."

"I know, but how could this have happened...a _second _time?" Delia wanted to know, though she was well aware Tylor was equally lost. "I mean, we've lived here for over ten years...and you've been here your whole _life_!" she recalled, noticing the pained expression on her husband's face at that reminder. Delia knew the last rumor ordeal upset Tylor, since he felt as though he was betrayed by his own hometown. Having a rumor incident happening a second time was just..._unacceptable_. Tylor was very proud of his hometown, and his son clearly took after him.

Yet, Delia would be lying if she said did not feel a tad betrayed by Pallet Town, too. Perhaps she felt this way because she was not native to Pallet, but to Viridian City. She was born in Viridian, and moved to Pallet Town after marrying Tylor. Honestly, after living in a busy and noisy city for most of her life, Delia preferred the calmer and tranquil life in Pallet Town. She did not have native pride in the town as Tylor did but Delia still loved Pallet. "You'd think...people would know us well enough by _now_."

Tylor agreed 100%. There was simply no excuse for these rumors to crop up. The first time, Tylor partially blamed himself for always traveling, since his constant absence was what initially started the suspicions of his Viridian 'mistress.' But this time around...there was _no _excuse whatsoever for _these _rumors. To know his hometown was pulling this crap on him a second time felt like a kick in the face, one that was simply uncalled for. And something was telling Tylor, though he did not want to speak it before his wife, Tylor had a sinking feeling that his last rumor ordeal had _something _to do with this one. _It probably didn't help, that's for sure._

"And what if..." Delia started, biting her lip as she recalled what just happened with their son. "...What Ash said was true? What if nobody believes us? I mean, all the good word of mouth and paperwork can't _really _stop a person from the way he or she thinks."

"Del, let's not think like that, okay?" requested Tylor, rubbing his forehead as he felt his headache steadily intensify.

"Believe me, Ty, I don't _want _to 'think like that,' but I think we need to be a little realistic, too. I mean, after what happened last time, we don't exactly have a good...'track record' with these types of ordeals. I know we got those previous rumors cleared up but I'm sure those rumors are in the backs of people's minds again." At the very least, Delia was on the same wavelength as her husband, but Tylor found little comfort.

"And what if...we _can't _rectify these rumors?" Delia dared to ask further, surprising Tylor with her unexpected fatalism. Delia was always the optimist, so hearing such fatalistic words from her mouth was not only uncommon, but a tad chilling for Tylor. "Believe me, I don't want to get lawyers involved or have to leave..."

"Delia, whoa, hold on a second," Tylor interrupted, raising a hand to halt her. "I think we're getting ahead of ourselves. First of all,_ I _don't want to take legal actions, primarily because we don't even know _who _is behind all this, yet. We can't sue people for the hell of it. And secondly, _I_ don't want to leave, either. This is my _hometown_, Delia. I'd _never _want to leave it. Lies or not, I'm not going to let that get the best of me."

A weak smile appeared on Delia's face as she listened to Tylor's sincerity. "I know, but...Tylor, frankly, I don't care about _us_," she corrected, making Tylor blink at her remark. "Honey, don't you see? I'm not even talking about us. You saw how upset Ash was, and we have to keep in mind the effect this is having on _him_. He was too young to fully understand those rumors last time, but now..." Delia stopped, shutting her eyes as the painful images of her devastated son kept replaying in her memory. "Tylor, we have to keep Ash in mind this time, and I don't want to subject him to anymore than he already has been."

Delia was absolutely right. This ordeal was going to be harder now that Ash was older, more aware, and more involved. And judging by to boy's reaction to what Gary told him, it was pretty clear that Ash was probably taking this matter harder than his own parents. "I know, Delia," Tylor sighed understandingly. "Neither do I. But, Ash isn't _that _young anymore. He's young but nowhere near as young as he was when this first happened."

"But you heard him, Ty, when he started blaming himself for this. Ash knows we're not the problem but he's probably thinking _he is…_"

"The problem lays in whoever the hell started this rumor, Delia," Tylor spoke matter-of-factly. "It's not the fault of you, me, and _certainly not_ Ash. We just need to start clearing this matter up and figure out who originally started this, that's all."

Delia huffed softly, shaking her head. "And what do we do in the meantime, Tylor? I'm not going to subject our son to anymore of these lies. I know you don't want to leave Pallet, and I know Ash wouldn't want to either, but I'm not going to keep him here and be ridiculed," she vowed, swallowing a sudden lump in her throat before continuing. Honestly, Delia never thought things would _ever _come to this. "And I have no qualms about leaving Pallet Town for a while so these rumors can calm down. If you want to stay, that's fine, but..."

"Del, you're getting ahead of things, okay?" Tylor interrupted, a bit more forcibly than he and his wife expected. Leaving Pallet sounded preposterous. The Ketchums never left during the last rumor ordeal, and Tylor certainly had no intentions of doing it this time, either. "Frankly, if we _do_ leave, it's just going to make us look _more _suspicious and guilty over something we never did."

Her husband was right, too. Running away was certainly not going to solve the problem. "But still..." Delia started. "...If things come to that, I won't hesitate to leave. We can go live with my sister, or go to your apartment in Viridian for a little while. I don't want to run away either but we can't keep subjecting our son to these things, especially if matters get worse. Ash isn't as young as before but he's still far too young for any of this."

Tylor exhaled in exasperation, rubbing his temples. He knew what Delia said was true and valid, but he did not want to jump to such drastic measures until absolutely necessary. "Del, let's just worry about that when and _if _it comes to that, okay?" Tylor asked, more pleadingly than anything else. Delia was not native to Pallet Town, so of course she would not feel quite as attached to the place as Tylor. Conversely, it was going to be a _very _cold day in Hell if Tylor Ketchum decided to leave the town he was born and raised in. _And I doubt Ash will feel much differently, but she doesn't take THAT into account, either,_ Tylor silently huffed._ Leaving town's going to hurt Ash just as much as the rumors._

But Tylor did not want to instigate anything with Delia at the moment. They had other concerns and they had to start making their move before this situation got any worse. "Alright..." Tylor started, partially changing the subject. "How about we start talking to people?" he offered, Delia blinking at the new topic. "I'll pay a visit to Kent's, so if you want to call Mary Anne or someone while I'm gone, that's fine. We really should try and nip this in the butt as soon as possible." _Before we HAVE to take more serious measures._

Delia wanted to scold him for changing the subject, but she knew it was a touchy subject with Tylor, too. She made a similar 'leave Pallet' suggestion during the last rumor fiasco and Tylor did not want to hear anything about it. Now was no different. Unfortunately, Delia knew what her husband said was also true; they needed to start fixing this problem. "Okay. I think Mary Anne should still be home at this hour," she figured, noticing the kitchen clock read ten AM…_only_ ten AM. _God, it feels like a whole DAY'S gone by._

"If I have time, I'll try and schedule a meeting with Geoffrey and Leo, too," Tylor added, getting up from his seat and checking his pockets for his keys, still in the same pocket from earlier. It was just then that Tylor forgot how he so nearly left the house for work that morning, but now,_ I've got more important things to worry about. _"I don't know how long I'll be, but I'll try and be back before it gets too late."

Delia blinked, getting up, herself, and standing by her husband, a small playful grin pulling her lips. "You're not gonna' go running back to the office today?"

That comment was not too unexpected by Tylor, but he shrugged it off. "Surprisingly, no. I'll have to call them and explain the situation, too."

"You're not going to tell them what _really _happened, are you?"

"Hell no. We don't need this spreading _outside _of Pallet. I'll just tell them that things took longer at the hospital or something. Before I left last night I told them Ash got hurt, so me getting held up at the hospital shouldn't be _that _unbelievable."

For some reason, Delia could not dissuade a small, appreciative smile off of her face. It was times like these, when Tylor was not so hung up on his job and money, that Delia really admired him. He was a tad stubborn, just like her and Ash, and when Tylor got his mind fixed on something he did not give a damn about much else. Delia just wished he could have focused his mind better on his family than money. But apparently, Tylor _was_ focused on his family now, or at least, _for _now. "Thanks, Ty," Delia smiled gently, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I...really couldn't get through this alone."

Tylor returned her smile. "I wouldn't want you to," he reassured, placing his hand on hers for support. Him and his wife rarely made much physical contact nowadays, but even the simple gestures and touches meant a great deal. At the very least, Tylor knew he and Delia would be temporarily setting aside their foolish bickering to rectify the rumor matter. Tylor only wished he and his wife could get along under better circumstances.

And though she would not speak it either, Delia felt the same way.

- - - - - - - - - -

"Well, thanks again, Mary Anne," Delia thanked with an appreciative smile. "I'm sorry to drag you into all this."

_"Oh honey, don't apologize," _Mary Anne reassured on the other line. _"Sam and Nick have already agreed to help, too, and I want to do everything I can clear this matter up. I'M the one who should be apologizing for what my son told yours."_

Delia could not argue with that, but she was not the type to hold grudges…except when it came to her own husband, but Delia dismissed that thought. "I'm sure Ash would've found out sooner or later. Anyway, I'd better be going. Tylor should be home anytime."

_"Say 'hi' to him for me, and tell him I'm keeping you guys in our prayers, too. And I promise, come the next meeting, I'm gonna' make sure NOBODY leaves without getting the facts straight."_

"I'm sure about that," Delia giggled, knowing how persistent Mary Anne could be when she wanted. "Thanks again, Mary Anne."

_"Anytime, Del. Bye."_

"Bye." And with that, Delia hung up the phone, sighing as she sat on her bed, still smiling appreciatively for her friend. After all, Mary Anne had been Delia's closest friend since she met and married Tylor. Knowing Delia could rely on someone so dear during a time like this made the matter a _little _easier.

It had been several hours since that hectic morning. Tylor still had yet to return and Delia had been making the rounds on her bedroom phone. Mary Anne was the first person she called, but the woman had been out doing errands and groceries. So Delia called some other friends, and even her sister, instead before finally getting a hold of Mrs. Oak around six o'clock that afternoon. Golden afternoon rays had already started shining through her bedroom windows, reminding Delia how rapidly the day went by, and yet the day still ironically felt like it lasted a year.

Running a hand through her auburn hair, Delia figured it best to go and start supper. Tylor would probably be home soon, and she suddenly realized that because of her numerous phone calls, Delia completely forgot to make lunch. Such forgetfulness was rare for her, especially when her son was home, but...

_Ash has been awfully quiet all day,_ Delia thought as she left her room, noticing her son's adjacent room almost instantly. She had decided to leave him alone for most of the day. Ash, too, needed time to come to terms with what was happening. Leaving him alone did not diminish Delia's concern over him, though.

"Ash?" Delia asked gently, softly knocking his room's closed door. Part of her would not have been surprised if he was sleeping, but...

A muffled "Mmm?" was all she needed to hear as Delia then carefully opened the door. Walking into the room, she noticed her son sitting on his bunk bed with Pikachu nestled on his lap. Putting on a small smile, Delia sat down beside Ash, placing a hand on his shoulder and happy to see he returned her a half-smile. At the very least, Ash looked far more composed than earlier. "How are you doing, sweetie?" Delia softly inquired.

Ash shrugged indifferently, stealing a glance back down at Pikachu for a moment. The mouse gave him a reassuring look, encouraging Ash to answer Delia's question. "Okay, I guess," he admitted. _As good as I can be._ "Is…Dad back home yet?" He could not help asking that question with a hint of hope in his voice.

Delia smiled understandingly. "Not yet, baby. But, he _will _be coming back. He said he would." _And Tylor, God help you if you DON'T! I don't care if you don't come back for me but you'd BETTER come back for Ash's sake!_

At the very least, Ash knew his father would be sticking around a while longer, though Ash certainly wished the situation was different. He originally wanted to spend the day, or at least a few hours, hanging out with Tylor. But while Tylor did not leave for Viridian, he _was_ gone elsewhere, trying to rectify these rumors. Of course, Ash was not foolish to believe his parents would have time to relax with these lies flying around.

"So, what have you been up to, sweetie?" Delia casually asked, realizing even _she _had not spent much time with Ash that day. _He of all people needs some companionship,_ she thought, instantly giving Pikachu a rub and appreciative smile, making the Pokemon purr. "Playing with Pikachu?"

_Not really...or 'not at all,' really._ Truth be told, Ash had been pretty much quiet that entire day. The first few hours had been devoted to him simply getting over the initial shock of the matter, crying himself into a short slumber. Once he awoke, Ash then started trying to piece together ways of clearing the rumors, even discussing a few plans with Pikachu, but none of them seemed to work. Ordeals like these could not be clarified via Pokemon battles. Anytime Ash contemplated some means of telling people the truth, he simply remembered how Gary did not believe him. Why would anyone else believe him? At the very least, people would listen to Ash's parents first. Nobody would listen to a kid who seemed to be either in denial or was hiding the truth to protect his parents.

And then there was also that brief moment when Delia left the phone to use the bathroom when Ash tried to call Misty and Brock. Sadly, it was still too early for them, since the only answers he got were from family members telling him they had yet to arrive home.

"Not much, really," Ash muttered, though the answer seemed pretty obvious to Delia. She hated seeing him like this: a boy usually so happy and energetic, now acting so down and upset. Ash was far more composed than earlier but it was still obvious he was greatly troubled by the matter, as were his parents.

"Mom?" Ash then asked Delia, looking back up at her as she blinked.

"Yes, sweetie?"

"What..." he paused, biting his lip as to try and carefully select his words and not hurt his mother. "...What're we gonna' do? I mean, if we can't stop the rumors?"

Delia's face fell slightly, though she knew the same question had been bothering her, too. "Oh Ash, let's try and not think about that just yet, okay?" she offered, wrapping an arm around him in a partial embrace. "Your dad and I have been talking with a lot of people today and many promised to help us out. We've got some support, and if we can get some good word of mouth to counter these rumors that _should _help tremendously."

Ash was a bit relieved to know his family was not alone in this fight. "But, what if...people _still_ don't believe us?" he pondered, dreading the worst. "What if we-"

"Honey, let's try and think positively, okay?" Delia interrupted reassuringly, placing a finger to his lips to shush him. "This isn't going to go away overnight, but we can at least try and keep our chins up. I don't want anything bad to happen, either, but..." Delia stopped, biting her lip before continuing. "...Even if something _does_ happen, we still know the truth. I know that doesn't sound like much but it's something we're gonna' have to rely on," she said, gently caressing Ash's face as another smile pulled her lips. "...And we need to rely on each other, too."

What Delia said was true, but Ash found little comfort in her words. His mother was being optimistic as always, and normally, Ash would be the same. But every so often, especially in very serious situations, Ash tended to be like his father, too: worrying about the 'what-ifs' and fearing the possible worst. He did not like to behave negatively, but alas, Ash sometimes did, just like now. The entire time in his room Ash feared possible repercussions of these horrid rumors, such as vandalism, ridicule...all leading up to something that still provoked tears to sting his eyes: leaving Pallet Town for good. Ash knew his parents were still bitter over the last rumor incident, and now that there was a _second _incident, what reason was there for them to remain in Pallet?

"Honey, you don't have to worry yourself, though," Delia suddenly spoke, almost as if she could read his thoughts. She maternally brought the boy into a full hug, one Ash returned. "Your father and I are going to fix everything up," she promised, praying she was saying the truth. Delia did not really _want _to think what might happen if this ordeal did _not _get rectified.

**Next Episode: "When Nobody Believes You"**

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**A/N**: Sad chapter, neh? I'm a notorious writer (and sucker) for family drama like this, so get ready because _plenty_ more is on the way. Chapter 4 is one of my favorite segments in this story because it's going to have a cute little cameo of a certain _someone_. Who is that "someone" you ask? Well, you'll just have to wait and see next time. Feel free to take a few guesses if you want, though for me it's kinda' obvious considering my favorite characters and shipping (you'll know who it is if you've read my profile*). Yup, Chapter 4's gonna' be fun. ^_^

***** Oh, speaking of my profile…I'm not sure how many readers religiously check out author profiles. However, in my case, I usually update mine every time I post a new chapter of any of my stories. The very top of my profile (indicated by a date) is most commonly updated with my latest news regarding publications and upcoming releases (I use it like a makeshift message board).

Review away, please!


	4. When Nobody Believes You

**COPYRIGHT NOTE**: I don't own _Pokemon / Pocket Monsters_.

**COMMENTS**: More good ol' Ketchum family drama ahead this time, plus a guest appearance, too! I love all of your thoughtful reviews and pleased to see so many people are enjoying this so far. I'm personally very pleased with this particular chapter and hope you like it just as much. Enjoy!

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NOTHING BUT LIES

_**Aiselne Phoenix**_

**Chapter 4: "When Nobody Believes You"**

"Leo doesn't want to get involved," Tylor groaned that night during dinner. The man was not even the least bit interested in the food on his plate as he sat at the kitchen table with his wife and son, hating how Delia and Ash gasped at that revelation. Leo and Tylor had been traveling buddies way back when they were both aspiring Pokemon trainers. To think, after so many years of friendship, Leo did not want to get involved and deny his old friend the _help_ the Ketchums desperately needed.

"Are you sure?" Delia asked, her heart going out to her husband for what felt like the first time in a while. She knew the extent of Tylor and Leo's friendship. Hell, Leo was the best man at her and Tylor's wedding! "How come?"

Sighing, Tylor shook his head in absolute disbelief. "Cause' he's the mayor, Del, and re-elections are next month. He doesn't want any bad publicity." _Can't say that I blame him, since he's worked so hard for his job, but...come' on, Leo!_

"'Bad publicity'?!" Delia gasped incredulously. "The rumors aren't about _him_!"

"I know," Tylor shrugged with another groan. "But he fears any involvement might jeopardize his re-election. Opponents can be real sharks when they want to be and he just doesn't want to appear involved with...'what we're doing'."

Delia's jaw dropped open at that remark. "He doesn't believe us, _does _he?" she asked upfront, noticing Ash cringe in fear as he looked back at his father, praying his dad would say 'no' to Delia's question.

But as much as Tylor wanted to say no, he did not want to lie, either. "He didn't _say _that," Tylor sighed. "But...that was my impression." It never ceased to amaze Tylor how his old traveling friend could have betrayed him so coldly.

Ash bit his lip, sympathy washing over for his father. Tylor often reminisced about his traveling days with Leo, and such easily reminded Ash of his adventures with Misty and Brock. To think such a good friend like Leo would abandon Tylor after all those years. Ash fully trusted Misty and Brock's loyalty, but he understood that if his friends _ever _betrayed Ash, he would be just as upset as Tylor. "...Dad...?" the boy muttered gently and understandingly, grasping his father's hand affectionately for comfort, Tylor squeezing his hand appreciatively with a half-smile.

"Don't worry, Ash," Tylor reassured with a little confidence. "Just because Leo's not going to help us doesn't mean others won't." That was not exactly why Ash sought to comfort his father, and Tylor knew that, but both figured it best to leave it at that.

"What about Kent and Geoffrey?" Delia asked, hoping at least _those _'friends' would remain loyal.

Letting go of Ash's hand, Tylor took another deep breath. "Geoffrey's willing to take legal matters if the time comes," he explained, Delia smiling in relief at their support. "And Kent will do the same as long as his brother does, but..."

"But...what?" Delia asked, her smile suddenly fading.

Biting his lip, Tylor reluctantly continued. "I get...the impression they're gonna' help us, more so out of..._'obligation'_...than actually believing us. Geoffrey's our lawyer, so naturally he'll help us, and Kent's willing to go along with it if his _brother_ does, but..." he briefly paused, hating the betrayed look on his wife's face. "...I just, didn't get the impression they believed our innocence."

"But...why not?" Ash asked sadly, hating how so many friends of his parents seemed to not believe the Ketchums. Delia's friends seemed more receptive to help, but who was to say they _really _believed Delia and Tylor were innocent? "You said...they were your friends. Shouldn't they know when you're lying and when you're telling the truth?" _Isn't that what friends are SUPPOST to know?_

Tylor sighed, doing his best to remain strong and content for his son's sake. Tylor did not want to put negative thoughts in Ash's head concerning friendship. There was no doubt in Tylor's mind that Misty and Brock were true friends to his son, and Tylor did not want to jeopardize Ash's trust solely because his father's friends were cowards. "Ash...they have their own careers and reputations to think about, too," Tylor said, though not believing that was a valid excuse by any means. "And, let's face it, what we're being accused of isn't something to be taken lightly. They simply don't want to be mixed into this."

"Yeah, but...how can they possibly _not believe_ you?!" Ash asked, nearly pleading. "Even if they don't want to get involved, how could they think you'd lie to them?!"

"That I don't know, Ash," Tylor admitted dejectedly, exchanging a pained look with Delia. "But, what's done is done, now. I'm not going to _force _them to believe something they don't want to believe, either, so we're just going to have to find other people to help. Besides, we already know Professor Oak and his family will help, and your mom got a' hold of some of her friends, too, right?" he asked, addressing Delia as she nodded.

"Yeah, but I don't know how much of a help they'll be," Delia admitted. "Sherry's just a baker, and Harriet's consulting takes up so much time I don't know if she'll be able to help very often." There was no doubt; loosing Mayor Leo Morris from their team was going to make things much harder. "But, they _do _believe us."

"I think that's what really matters right now," Tylor said with a nod. "The more people we have supporting us, regardless of what they do, the better." Though he would be lying if he said having the mayor behind him would not make much of a difference, either. Alas, Tylor knew he had to stop thinking like that and just move on. _If that's how Leo wants to be after so many years, screw him!_

"What about the Clarksons?" Tylor questioned Delia. "Did you call them?"

At that comment, Delia bit her lip, looking away for a moment as Tylor groaned in disbelief, already reading the answer on his wife's face. The Clarksons had been two of Tylor and Delia's biggest supporters during the last rumor incident. During the time, Peirce Clarkson had been the current town mayor, which helped tremendously, but now... "They have kids now, Ty," Delia muttered, swallowing a few saddened tears. "...They don't want to subject them to this."

"Yeah, as if I want to subject _my_ son to this," Tylor blurted out sarcastically. He instantly cursed himself for saying that right in front of Ash. Then again, Tylor _did_ speak the truth. If there were some way Tylor could have prevented Ash from going through this ordeal Tylor would have done it by now. Of course, he knew Ash had every right to be aware of what was happening, too. _I can't keep thinking he's a little kid anymore like last time. But still, Ash IS still very young for all this._ "And the Quentins?" Tylor asked, praying the town council vice president and his wife would be supportive.

"They said..." Delia muttered with discouragement. "...They'd get back to us on their decision," she answered, not at all sounding too confident that Mr. and Mrs. Quentin would indeed call back. "But...I'm not going to be waiting by the phone with bated breath, either," admitted Delia, remembering the disheartening conversation she had with Marcy Quentin. Marcy kept making excuses after excuses: "we're going on vacation in a few weeks", "our daughter's away at college", "Joe's so busy with council businesses" ...nothing more than excuses to pooh-pooh Delia off and not give her a direct answer. It was pretty obvious the Quentins were not too eager to help, either way. It was a pity, though. Delia and Marcy graduated high school together and had been friends all throughout those four years. Apparently, those years did not matter so much to Marcy anymore.

That narrowed the Ketchum's list down _tremendously_. The mayor did not want to help, and Tylor figured if the town council vice president would not help, neither would anybody else on the council, even though Tylor had even been treasurer on the council for a few years alongside Joe Quentin. Remembering such partnership was all the more painful to know the Quentins would not be helping. Tylor's lawyer, Geoffrey, was willing to help, but did not seem to really believe Tylor and Delia's innocence, and Kent would just tag along if Geoffrey would, but that did not mean he actually believed the Ketchums, either. At least the family still had Delia's friends, Sherry and Harriet, and above all, they still had the Oak family, which Tylor knew was the best support him and his family had at the moment. Sam and his family would be about the only other people in town, aside from officials, that could _really _help, now.

"What about the doctors?" Tylor asked, recalling his conversation with Delia that morning. "Can they get us some paperwork to disprove the rumors?"

Delia bit her lip again this time, but for a different reason. "Actually..." she said, running a hand through her long hair. "I never got around to calling them." Spying the kitchen clock read seven-thirty P.M., she sighed. The doctor's office was closed at this hour. "I'll have to call them in the morning-"

Just before she could continue, the kitchen's wall phone suddenly rang, Delia being the closest and picking it up first. For a moment, she, Tylor, and Ash had almost hoped it would be the Quentins actually calling back, or someone else calling who might actually help them. "Hello?" Delia asked, trying to sound somewhat like her usual, perky self, though that was getting significantly harder as more bad news cropped up.

_"Hey, Delia,"_ replied a familiar man's voice on the other line, sounding a tad downcast. Blinking, Delia cocked her head. "Hey Carl, what's up?" she asked noting the time again. The odds of her boss, Carl Sampson, calling at seven-thirty at night were definitely strange.

There was a pause on the other line for only a moment before Carl continued. _"Look, I heard what happened, and I just wanted to say, I'm really sorry to hear that."_

A chill ran down Delia's spine for a moment, any emotion or joy she had mustered suddenly draining out of her body. "You...don't believe it, do you?" _Oh God, please. Not Carl, too._

There was another agonizing pause from Carl's end. _"Of course not, Delia," _he finally replied, Delia exhaling loudly in relief. At least there was _one _more person out there on their side. Not that Delia should have been _too _surprised. After all, Carl was not simply her employer and boss, but he had been another long-time friend of her and Tylor. In fact, Carl had been the one who originally _introduced _the Ketchums via a blind date to his restaurant. Hell, if it were not for Carl, Delia and Tylor might never even _met_! "Oh, thank you so much, Carl," Delia smiled, a few grateful tears stinging her eyes at his remark. "Thank you."

But there was another pause at the other end before Carl continued. _"I...don't think you really should be thanking me, Del."_

As if kicked in the leg, Delia's joy drained right back out of her. "...What?" she muttered, blinking in confusion.

Another long pause followed, this one even more agonizing for Delia than before. If Carl believed her innocence then why shouldshe _not _thank him? Carl was one of the few people who _did _believe her, unless...

_"Delia, honey, I'm sorry,"_ Carl suddenly spoke again, this time rather quickly and nervously, almost as if he simply wanted to get something done and over with. _"I believe you, but...with this whole rumor thing...I can't let it...jeopardize my business."_

As if shot with a bullet, Delia nearly dropped the phone, tears welling in her eyes as she suddenly realized what was _really _going on. "...Carl...please..."

There was one final pause between them before Carl reluctantly finished what he wanted to 'get done and over with.' _"I'm sorry, but...I'm gonna' have to let you go. I'm sorry."_

Another pause came, but this one never ended, primarily because as soon as he finished his final apology…Carl hung up the phone.

"Delia...?"

Delia's hand shook whilst hanging her phone back up, realizing Carl was not going to return. But the second her hand left the phone, the hand flew to her mouth, stifled sobs muffled but ever apparent under her hand. Tears started streaming down her face and over her hand as she inevitably heard footsteps rush to her, one pair of hands on her shoulders and another pair of arms wrapping around her thin waist.

"Mom...what's wrong?" Ash asked, concern and fear evident in his voice as he looked up at his mother, tears and sobs evident from her. For a moment, Delia seemed so happy, thanking Mr. Sampson, whom Ash had gotten to know him and his kids very well over the years. And then, a moment later, Delia started crying after she hung up the phone, not shedding joyous tears but shedding tears induced by nothing more than pain.

"Delia?" Tylor repeated, rubbing her shoulders as Delia leaned her head sideways for a moment, resting her head on one of his comforting hands. "Delia...what did Carl say?" he asked, though judging by his wife's reaction it was pretty clear what Carl said. _Oh God...please no._

It felt like one bad dream; a horrible nightmare that Delia simply wanted to end. Why was her family being subjected to this pain again? Delia figured the last rumor ordeal concerning her husband cheating on her was bad enough. Why did _another _rumor episode have to start? Had the Ketchums not endured _enough _vile rumors?

Delia did not like to think fatalistically. She liked to stay optimistic no matter what life tossed at her. But now...this was too much. As if being falsely accused of abusing her son was not bad enough, her boss, the very same friend that brought her and her husband together, just fired her because of these ludicrous lies. _This is so unfair._

"C-Carl..." Delia choked, sniffling as she shut her eyes, still resting her head on Tylor's warm hand as tears continued streaming down her cheeks. She did not want to tell her husband what happened. Delia knew Tylor was going to be furious over yet another backstabbing friend, especially one so important as Carl. Knowing Carl unfairly fired her would send Tylor over the edge. ..._But...I can't lie, either. _"Carl...let me go." Speaking the actual word 'fired' was simply too painful, and judging by how Carl never used the word either, it was probably pretty painful for him, too, though nowhere near as hurtful for him as it was for Delia.

Of course, Delia did not even have to say 'fired' for her husband and son to understand what happened. Delia could feel their holds tense. Ash instinctively tightened his embrace affectionately, his heart easily going out to his devastated mother. There was no doubt in his mind that what Mr. Sampson did was simply out of line. Delia was an excellent worker, often raved as 'the best' at Carl's restaurant. Her work ethic was not a problem at all, so the only other reason Carl could have wanted to..._fire_ her...was because of the rumors. "But..." Ash choked, feeling tears gloss over his eyes at how cruel fate was toying with his family. There was no excuse for the rumors, and there certainly was no excuse for Delia being fired _because _of the rumors. "...The rumors...aren't even true!"

Opening her glassy eyes, Delia wiped them, looking back down at her saddened boy. "Oh sweetie..." she sobbed, putting on a weak and quivering smile for him. "Of c-course they aren't, but..."

"That son of a bitch." Delia suddenly heard muttered from behind her, causing her to instantly turn her head back to her husband. "_Tylor_!" she gasped in a hoarse hiss. She could feel his hands on her shoulders tense and tighten, but unlike Ash's hold, Tylor's was induced clearly more out of anger than sympathy. Even still, "Watch your language in front of our son!"

With that, Tylor let go of Delia's shoulders, taking a few steps away as he ran his hands through his raven locks, feeling almost as if he would rip his hair out. Shaking his head in absolute disgust and disbelief, Tylor turned away from his wife and son for a moment, leaning against the sink and staring absentmindedly out the kitchen window. It was a lovely summer night. The stars started to twinkle in the sky amidst a few clouds, given a soft glow by a crescent moon. It was just another lovely evening in Pallet Town, and yet, Tylor found no comfort and appreciation in his hometown at that moment. He and his family had to endure this bullshit once before, and _There's no excuse for a SECOND time!_

"I'm sorry Del," Tylor suddenly said in an apologetic moan, still not looking back at her and Ash. "I just..._can't _believe Carl did that," he admitted, exhaling in pure disgust. _What the hell are you thinking, Carl?! _Sure, Tylor figured Carl's reasons were business-related, and he had every right to worry about his business, but did Carl _have _to take such drastic measures so _quickly_? After all, the rumors had not been around for _that _long, _were_ they? Sam said he first heard about the rumors last night after Ash's accident..._Twenty-four hours, and you fire Del just like THAT?! What the hell!?_

"There's...no excuse for this," Tylor lamented, shutting his brown eyes as he tried to absorb such a chaotic and overwhelming day. Twenty-four hours ago, Tylor's biggest concern was making sure Ash was safe, and now, his biggest concern was clarifying a bunch of ludicrous rumors. "And I'm sorry, but I am _NOT _going to allow people to do things like this to us because of a bunch of asinine lies!" he blasted, slamming his fist angrily against the sink counter, making Delia and Ash jump slightly from where they stood. Tylor often tried to remain calm and collected during situations like these. Thus, seeing him start to loose his temper was never a sight his wife and son relished viewing. "I mean, this is defamation of character!" he swore, remembering his talk with his lawyer Geoffrey and when Tylor asked if they had a case to go to trial. Geoffrey said they could very well have a case for defamation of character. However, unless they pinpoint the person or persons responsible for the rumors there was not much the Ketchums could do for now. It seemed like no matter what, _everything _was against Tylor and his family.

"I know it i-is, Ty," was all Delia could say, swallowing a few more tears as she watched her husband. She knew that as upset as she was, Tylor was far more upset and disturbed to know his own hometown was turning its back on him. And it was pretty obvious as she returned Ash's embrace that her son was feeling similarly. If one could not trust the people in the town he was born and raised in, whom _could _Ash trust?

Running another hand through his hair, Tylor took a few deep breaths. He wanted to keep his temper in check, for himself and for his family. Taking his anger out on Ash and Delia was not going to help matters for anyone, and Tylor refused to put them through anymore unnecessary pain. "I'm gonna' talk to him first thing tomorrow morning," he declared softly and calmly, slowly turning back to Delia to give her a small reassuring gaze. "You worked hard for, and at, that job. You're not going to loose it over something like this, Del."_ I swear to God._

His sincerity and faithfulness moved her, and while Delia did feel slightly better, a small sense of dread also crept within her. _Thank you... _"But Ty...I don't want you getting into trouble," she admitted, knowing that as collected as Tylor could be, he _did_ have tendencies to loose his temper. The last thing their family needed was an arrest or charges pressed just because her husband got into a fistfight. There was no doubt in Delia's mind that Tylor could take care of himself. He was very intelligent and his past Pokemon journey taught him to take care of himself and maintain a healthy, _strong_ body. Alas, that did not always prevent pressed charges, and Delia felt their family had enough of those to deal with. _Plus... _she thought, gazing down at Ash for a moment. _Violence isn't a solution I want to teach our son._

Tylor understood exactly what Delia meant. "Del, I'm not going to get into trouble, believe me." Frankly, he did not want to instigate a fight, either, especially with Carl. The boss was an asshole for firing Delia, but Tylor was still held back by their past friendship and loyalties. _Old habits die hard, even in situations as outrageous as this. _Too bad the same could not be said about some of his other 'friends'. "I'm gonna' have a long talk with him, though, and I'm gonna' make sure he gives you your job back. There's no excuse for this. _No _excuse."

_When he gets something in his head, look out,_ Delia thought, knowing Tylor's stubbornness rubbed off onto her and Ash. But, for once, Delia was not going to hold it against her husband. Tylor was right; there was no excuse for what Carl did, and she was hoping her husband could straighten things out.

Interestingly, at the same time, Delia could not help but feel impressed, too. She had been hounding Tylor for months on getting rid of the old oak tree, and that was like pulling teeth. But now, Tylor was not hesitating to help her. Perhaps it was because money was not a factor in this matter, but Delia was willing to bet more so on the fact that Tylor still _did _care about her. It was pretty obvious, though Delia wondered if she ever really thought Tylor stopped caring in the first place.

"Thank you, Tylor," Delia choked, putting on an appreciative smile for him. During a time like this she needed all the help she could get, especially from her husband. "But still..." she hesitated, her smile weakening as reality struck back. "...I can't believe Carl did that. He should _know _us better than that."

"So should a _lot _of people," Tylor grunted sarcastically, shaking his head at how so many so-called 'friends' turned their backs on him and his family.

"He even _said _he believed we were innocent."

"That's because him and practically the _rest _of this town are a bunch of hypocritical as-"

The phone suddenly rang, cutting Tylor's lament as the family of three instantly looked back at the phone, each fearing yet more bad news. Almost as if the phone were diseased, Delia never dared to pick it up, fearful tears welling back up in her eyes as she exchanged a worried look with Tylor. She doubted she could take much more bad news.

After the third ring, Tylor decided to be the one to pick it up, knowing Delia certainly was not going to, and he did not expect Ash to do it, either. Plus, Tylor did not want to subject Delia to yet another heart-breaking phone call, though Tylor doubted he could to hold his temper if this call turned out to be like Carl's. "Hello?" he asked, trying to sound somewhat neutral. Perhaps God would be listening to their prayers and give the Ketchums _one _more ally in this insane war, or at least _some _good news. Tylor, himself, needed _something _uplifting.

_"Uh...hello? Mr. Ketchum?"_ asked a young girl's voice, sounding somewhat familiar.

"Yes. Who is this?" Tylor asked gently and curiously.

_"Oh, hi, heh,"_ the girl giggled slightly, sounding slightly embarrassed. _"I'm Misty, Ash's friend,"_ she said, Tylor instantly remembering her and feeling a smile pull his own lips. This was _definitely _what Tylor knew his son needed. Turning to Ash, Tylor motioned towards him, grabbing the boy's attention from his still firm embrace around Delia. "It's Misty," Tylor informed in a whisper, overjoyed to see bright smiles start to form on both his son and wife's faces. This was definitely what they _all _needed.

_"Is he there?"_ Misty questioned, Tylor averting back to the conversation between the girl.

"You' bet," Tylor smiled, his own voice lifting as he watched what was quite possibly the happiest look form on his son's face; the happiest Ash looked all day. "I'll put him on for ya."

_"Oh, thanks."_

Covering the receiver, Tylor changed his attention back to Ash. "Misty wants to talk to you," he spoke rather lightly, though Tylor knew such was pretty obvious to all of them, since why _else _would the girl have called? Finally parting from their hug, Delia gave Ash a reassuring arm rub before the boy walked over to his father, ready to accept the phone before Tylor leaned down to whisper something to Ash.

"Why don't you pick up the extension upstairs, okay, kiddo?" he suggested, putting on a playful wink. "I'll hang this line up afterwards. That way you and Misty can talk alone, and so can your mom and me."

Ash liked that idea. He was not trying to be secretive from his parents by any means, However, the idea of talking alone with one of his friends sounded very appealing at the moment, especially after the hellish day Ash underwent. Nodding, Ash agreed. "Okay."

Tylor smiled back with a nod. "And don't worry, I won't listen in from this line," he teased, taking full advantage of the slight high-heartedness that surfaced. Tylor knew the happiness would not last long, so he might as well savor it when possible. "Don't keep her waiting, Ash," Tylor then advised, Ash nodding in haste and quickly running upstairs to the phone in Delia's room, the same she had been using to call people all afternoon.

Misty calling was hands down the best news Ash got all day, and he had not even talked to her yet! Pikachu had been lightly teasing him off and on throughout the day of how Ash clearly missed his friends, and he did, but today especially had been very hard. Whenever something serious or painful happened to Ash, Misty and Brock were always there to help him cope and get better, but this time around, they were gone. Even now, as Ash made it into Delia's bedroom, shut the door, and walked to her phone, Ash knew a simple phone call was not going to be the same as having his friends actually there, but...

_…Stop it, _Ash told himself quickly, not wanting to keep Misty waiting too long but not exactly relishing picking up the phone while on the verge of a breakdown. _Misty and Brock don't need to know this right now. I mean, OF COURSE they deserve to know, but...not now...not when they should be spending time with their families._ There was no doubt in Ash's mind that his friends would have no qualms about rushing right back to Pallet Town after finding out Ash's situation. _Just because I miss them...and really...REALLY wish they could be here... _"Dammit," Ash cursed himself under his breath, wiping away a few forming tears and painfully biting down on his lip to snap himself out of his sadness. _Don't do this to Misty and Brock...don't ruin their time with their families._

And with that as his only real influence, Ash made sure he was composed enough to finally seize the phone, being mindful to pick up the extension via the normal cordless phone. He was not brave enough to touch the other videophone, lest Misty see how sad he felt. "Misty?" Ash asked gently, pleased to hear his voice sounded okay. He did not want to worry her...he _would not _worry her.

_"About time you picked up," _Misty groaned playfully, Ash hearing a sudden click, signaling that Tylor did indeed hang up his extension, not that Ash doubted his dad would do so._ "What took you so long? Bathroom' or something?"_

"I...uh...just finished supper," Ash answered, suddenly remembering how he forgot all about his dinner when Mr. Sampson called and told Delia he..._NO! NO! Don't EVEN think about that! _Ash knew if he started thinking about what happened over the course of that day he would inevitably break down, and he was going to do his damnedest not to worry Misty.

_"Ah yes, Heaven forbid I get between you and food,"_ Misty teased, making Ash scratch the back of his neck. Too bad what she said was not true. _"I see you're feeling better."_

Too bad that was not true, either. Ash bit his lip, knowing he pretty much forgot all about his damn cast after hearing the news about..._STOP IT, dammit! I'm not going to worry her!_ "I guess." Ash shrugged.

_"How IS your arm, by the way?"_

"It's in a _cast_, Myst."

_"Thank you, Mister Obvious, but does it hurt or anything?"_

"Not really. The doctors gave me some medicine to ease the pain a bit, so that's probably why."

_"Well, that's good, but don't overdo on the pain killers, either. Brock and I don't need you winding up back in the hospital because you went gun-ho on aspirin or something. And that goes DOUBLE for you winding back up in the hospital with any OTHER injuries. Just because you have ONE broken arm doesn't mean you need TWO, or anything ELSE broken for that matter."_

Ash rolled his eyes. _Same ol' Misty. _"Thank you, _Mom_. I get it." At least her attitude did not change in the span of twenty-four hours, unlike Ash's..._Dammit, Ash, stop thinking about that!_

_"I'm SERIOUS, Ash! You scared the hell out of me when you fell. Brock and I don't like it when you hurt yourself!"_

"I don't _purposely _hurt myself!" Ash countered a bit sharply. _And neither do my parents...shit, stop thinking about that!_

_"Oh, I know, I know," _Misty suddenly giggled. _"Jeez, chill out, Ash. I was just kidding. I mean, it was pretty obvious when you fell that you weren't enjoying yourself, and I can't blame you. But I'm glad you are feeling better, even if you ARE doped up on pain killers."_

"I'm not doped up on _anything_, Myst," Ash muttered sarcastically. "I _am _talking to you, aren't I?"

_"I guess so," _Misty said. _"Anyway, have you been talking to anybody lately?"_

Ash blinked curiously. "What'd you mean? Like' on the phone?"

_"Yeah. Brock told me he tried to call you earlier but the phone was tied up. He tried calling a couple of times and he never got through. Everything okay, or were you just busy talking to all your old rivals?"_

Ash bit his lip again, his hand holding the receiver starting to tremble and stiffen. _And...these damn tears keep coming, _Ash mentally cursed, wiping his eyes with his other hand, a bit harder since it was with his left hand and made his cast arm hurt a little. He wanted to tell her everything; how much he missed her and Brock, how he wished they could be with him, and _especially _about the horrid rumors that had been plaguing his family. But each time Ash wanted to tell her everything, he reminded himself of what his friends _really _needed._ I don't want to worry them with this. They're probably already worried about my injury, not to mention any possible other ones. They don't need THIS...anymore than me, Mom, Dad...do…dammit. _Why was it that almost every thought brought Ash back to thinking about his terrible situation? It had been the same earlier when he was in his room with Pikachu; every other thought related to _some _part of this nightmare.

_"Ash...?" _Misty suddenly asked, grabbing his attention again as he vigorously wiped his eyes again. At the very least, he was not using a videophone, so he did not have to worry about Misty seeing his fragile state, meaning Ash's voice would have to sound a hell of a lot more convincing than his appearance. _"You' still there?"_

"...Yeah," Ash replied, not sounding too content but at least his voice did not _obviously _waver, though Ash wondered if he could fool Misty. He never did before.

_"You've been quiet,"_ Misty noted in slight concern, Ash mentally kicking himself for being _already _obvious. _"Is something wrong?"_

_A LOT'S wrong, Misty,_ Ash wanted to tell her, biting his lip again as he knew he could not say such. If Misty knew what was happening she would probably pack up and head back to Pallet that night, and would probably have Brock do the same. As much as Ash wanted them there he did not want to take his friends away from their families, either. He felt he had already unintentionally done so numerous times during their travels.

_"Ash, I don't like it when you're quiet," _Misty added firmly, Ash wincing as more tears threatened his eyes. _"Normally, Brock and I can't shut you up, so when you're quiet I KNOW something's wrong."_

Shaking his head to himself, Ash wiped away a few more tears, constantly telling himself to pull himself together for his friend's sakes. "...N-nothing's wrong," Ash reassured softly, cursing himself again. His voice broke slightly with that line.

_"It sure doesn't seem to be. You didn't hurt yourself again, did you? I swear to God, Ash, if you break something while Brock and I are gone..."_

"I'm fine, I'm _fine_!" Ash insisted, happy at least his voice did not break that time, but his tone sounded a bit _too_ pleadingly for his liking.

_"You don't SOUND fine, Ash. Seriously, DID you hurt yourself?"_

"I didn't hurt myself, okay?!" Ash blurted out. "I didn't hurt myself, nobody hurt me! I'm fine-!" A hand instantly flew to his mouth. _Aww shit! _He did not intend on saying so much.

Misty paused for a rather agonizing moment. _"I never said anybody hurt you, Ash,"_ she muttered, Ash biting his lip as another wave of tears started fighting him. How could he have been so stupid as to blurt _that _out? Hopefully Misty would not read too deeply into it, but what if she _did_? She had a knack for that sort of thing, sometimes.

It was pretty obvious his silence and weird behavior was starting to really irk Misty._ "Ash, WHAT is wrong?" _she demandingly asked, more insistently than before and making Ash cringe again. _"You've been acting weird and quiet and I DON'T like it when you're behaving like this. It means something's wrong, and something IS wrong, isn't there?"_

_If you only knew, Myst,_ Ash wanted to say, shutting his eyes tightly as the tears started becoming unbearable. He was breaking down, silently for the moment, but Ash doubted that would last long. Ash needed to either control himself quickly or finish the conversation quickly, and though Ash preferred the latter, he could not do it until he did the _first_.

_"Ash?! Are you still there?!"_ Misty was starting to sound very irritated, and _very _concerned, too. _"Tell me what's wrong."_

"...Nothing's w-wrong," Ash replied softly, his voice starting to quiver more obviously. He was just hoping the phone lines could distort those sounds, as they normally did, but Ash was not going to expect them to, either.

_"I DON'T believe you!"_

"You and everyone _else_!" Ash blasted, his eyes widening and his hand pressing firmly against his mouth as he realized he blurted out yet another unneeded comment. This was not working. It was too hard to tell Misty not to worry when he was on the verge of a breakdown. Ash knew he was not helping his situation, and he _certainly _was not easing any of Misty's concerns.

_"What...the hell is THAT supposed to mean, Ash?!"_ Misty yelled, not necessarily angrily towards him but definitely flabbergasted by his remark. What the hell _did _it mean? _Who _was 'everyone else'? What did _they _not believe? Misty had a mile-long list of questions that formed just by that one line Ash blurted out, never mind all the other questions she had about his weird behavior. Taking a deep breath, she decided to take matters a little more slowly. _"Ash, tell me what's wrong. SOMETHING'S wrong, and you should tell me."_

Regardless of whether he _should _tell her or not, Ash did not tell her, primarily because he _could not _tell her at the moment. Even aside all his reasons for not wanting to worry her, which went over like a lead balloon now, Ash could not bring himself to explain the situation. It hurt too deeply, and he was already too far gone by now. Tears were mercilessly rolling down his face and over the hand clasped to his mouth, and that hand was poorly stifling his sobs. He cursed himself the entire time; Ash did not want it to come to this. He knew such would worry Misty and he simply did not want to burden her with this agony...agony he was getting the full effect of all over again.

_God, I wish you guys could be here. _It was the honest truth, but Ash was not about to drag them down into this, either. It was bad enough his reckless accident instigated this whole rumor affair in the first place. Ash did not want to burden his friends like he so unintentionally burdened his parents.

_"Ash?! Answer me, dammit! Are you still there?!"_

Misty sounded so concerned; not angry at all but definitely more than worried about him, which was exactly what Ash had been trying to avoid since he picked up the damned telephone. This conversation was yet another thing that happened today that Ash wished he could go back in time and re-do, though such was just stupid to believe.

_"ASH?!"_

"...I-I'm...o-okay..." He certainly did not sound too 'okay' through that sob.

_"Are you...crying?!"_

"...C-course' not." Who the hell was he kidding?

_"Ash, I'm NOT stupid!"_

"I know, I _know_!" Ash bawled, well aware that he was not even doing very well in sounding convincing anymore. With each passing minute the conversation became harder and harder, and the pain only intensified. Ash was overjoyed to be able to speak with Misty, but _this _conversation...he wanted it to end now. It was not helping either one of them. "...L-look..." he choked, at the very least trying to clear his throat in a last attempt to sound somewhat convincing, though Ash knew better. "...D-don't worry about me. Just...make sure you enjoy yourself at home, o-okay?"

_"Ash, I swear to God…if you don't tell me what's wrong I'll run right back to Pallet Town and BEAT the truth out of you!"_

He would have loved nothing better, but Ash refused to be selfish. Misty and Brock deserved to spend time with their families. Ash, of all people, knew what it was like when Fate did not allow him to spend time with family members. _But...I'm spending time with Mom AND Dad, but...I didn't want THIS! _he cried softly. It felt as though Fate had granted Ash his ultimate dream within acid. The boy always wanted to spend time with both his parents, and he _was _finally doing so, but under the most agonizing of situations.

_"That's it! I'm leaving first thing tomorrow! I'll call Brock, too-"_

"Misty, please don't!" Ash suddenly blurted out, sounding almost as if he was pleading for his very life. He did _not_ want to burden his friends with this rumor affair and Ash hated himself for having this 'conversation' go so far. "I know you don't believe me." _And neither does anyone else for that matter..._Ash thought sadly again, swallowing another sob. "But..._please_. I swear to God, I'll explain everything when this is all over, but until then, if you _want _to do anything for me..." he spoke while a few more tears cascading down his face. "...Then, just enjoy your time w-with your family, o-okay?"

There was an expected pause from Misty's end this time. There was no doubt, Ash knew she was worried sick, and this little episode was going to haunt her for the rest of her vacation, whether she returned to Pallet or stayed in Cerulean. Ash just hoped she would agree to his request. "P-_please_?" he choked insistently.

_"...You...PROMISE to tell me after...whatever the hell's going on...is over?" _Misty finally requested seriously. _"I mean it, Ash. I'm really worried about you."_

Hearing those words lightened the pain slightly. Smiling weakly, Ash swallowed again. "I know, but...just do this for me, okay? I promise...I'll explain everything after it's over." _IF it ever ends_, but Ash did not want to think about that at the moment. He trusted Delia and Tylor and knew they _would _rectify this matter. Ash _knew _it.

Another hesitant pause came, followed by a loud sigh from Misty. _"Okay, okay, you win. I promise," _she relented, though not sounding very pleased. Misty was never the type to give in, but she knew when to back down, _most _of the time. _"But I AM gonna' tell Brock about this. I'll tell him to wait as you asked, but I'm still gonna' tell him."_

Ash did not like that part very much, but as long as Misty told Brock the same as Ash did, at least the boy would not have to worry about Brock storming back. _Either that, or they'll both just say 'screw it' and come back, regardless of what I want, _Ash suspected. _They've done that before._ Of course, it was just Misty and Brock's way of showing their concerns, especially since they _were _dealing with a very stubborn boy who often needed his shell to be cracked, but Ash trusted Misty's word. Right now, her word was all the evidence he had that there was _someone _outside his family who supported him. _Of course, Misty and Brock ARE family, too, _Ash reminded himself.

_"Ash, are you still there?! This silence is killing me!"_

_Same' here. _Swallowing another sob, Ash nodded. "Y-yeah, I'm here. And...thanks for being so concerned."

_"Well OF COURSE I'm concerned, and I know Brock will be, too. Are you SURE you don't want us to come back? We WILL, you know, if you want us to."_

"I know, b-but..."_ Dammit. _The tears started up again. Ash knew he was not making his argument convincing by any stretch of the imagination, and that the only thing keeping Misty from rushing back to Pallet Town was his heartfelt request.

_"...Oh Ash, I really wish you would tell me what's wrong."_

And he wanted to tell her, too, so very much.

_"...But...I won't force you. You're not ready, and that's okay, I guess. Just...we'll have a long talk when Brock and I get back, okay?" _Misty said comfortingly, her idea sounding like beautiful music to Ash's ears._ "You can tell us...everything, then."_

Nodding in full agreement, Ash managed to mutter a soft "T-thanks, Myst." His words did not sound very confident, but they _were_ honest and heartfelt.

The conversation ended thereafter. Neither kid really had the energy or will to keep talking now, despite how both originally wished on having a fun and enjoyable conversation for hours. Unfortunately, events did not materialize that way. Bidding each other farewells, the phones were then hung up. Being plunged back into silence, Ash sat back down on Delia's bed, continuously wiping at his tears. He did not want Misty's phone call to end as it did. He wanted to remain composed enough to not even _hint _that something was wrong, but such never happened. But at the very least, Misty said she would not come, and hopefully the same would be said for Brock, whom Ash would not be surprised in hearing from in the next hour or so. Ash just hoped they would keep their words.

_Oh...God...I wish they were here, though._ On one hand, Ash did not want his friends in Pallet. Ash did not want Misty and Brock being burdened with the same hell the Ketchums were enduring, nor did Ash want to take his friends away from their families.

Yet, on the other hand, Ash needed their companionship so very badly. To say he did not _'want' _them in Pallet was a lie...he 'wanted' them there, but he did not want them to leave their families. _Jeez...I'm making no sense._ All Ash _did_ know was he just sacrificed his own comfort for his friend's enjoyment. He knew Misty and Brock's families needed them more than he ever would, but...

…Something like this never happened before. Whenever anything bad happened to Ash, Misty and Brock were right there with him to help him recover, physically and or emotionally. But this time around, they were not here. Ash always had Delia and Tylor, but his parents had their own issues to sort out, and needed comfort just as much as he did.

_'Just as much'?! No, they need it MORE comfort than I do!_ Ash harshly scolded himself. _Stop being so Goddamn selfish! Mom and Dad are the one's being accused! THEY need my comfort, and Misty and Brock need to be with their families...not being kept in Pallet Town again! I CAN'T be selfish over this!_

His inner scolding was logical, but it did not diminish the pain whatsoever. Regardless of whether or not he was being selfish or selfless, the agony that Ash was enduring was genuine. Falling sideways on Delia's bed, Ash gave into his anguish again; gripping the comforter tightly as tears rapidly damped it and his face. Very few people seemed willing to come to his family's assistance, and the very town he loved so deeply seemed to be turning its back on his family. He was powerless in stopping all of this, and above all, Ash could not seek the comfort he desired, because those he needed comfort from…deserved so much better.

**Next Episode: "Outcast and Lonely"**

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**A/N**: I hope you liked Misty's cameo. Yes, I'm a Pokeshipper (always have been, always will be). Misty's cameo was just for a dash of semi-Pokeshippy goodness in this otherwise sole-Pallet Town story (I actually specifically made this story to be dominantly about Pallet residents and nobody else, just for a change).

To be honest, scenarios like these aren't very common for me. What I mean is that I usually prefer reading/writing stories where Ash gets comforted by his friends (namely by Misty because Pokeshippy comfort stories are just so delectable for me). However, with this story, I wanted to write a more challenging scenario where Misty and Brock _aren't_ around and Ash needs to find a different way of coping. Since Ash is rarely the type to be alone I figured it would prove interesting to see how he deals with a very emotional situation by himself. Yes, he's still got his parents, but as you've read, Ash doesn't want to burden them with his problems…on top of these rumor problems. We all know Ash has a tendency of taking things upon himself, but sometimes that's not always the best way of handling matters, too (especially for a kid his age). But our Sato-Chan's stubborn, and he's only making matters worse for himself, too, isn't he? 'Taking things upon one's self' only goes so far, so you'll have to wait until next time to see how far Ash can go. Oh yes…_much_ more Ketchum family drama's ahead.

I love your reviews, so naturally I'd love _more_ of them, too.


	5. Outcast and Lonely

**COPYRIGHT NOTE**: I don't own _Pokemon / Pocket Monsters_.

**COMMENTS**: A little Parentshipping is on the way for all of you patient readers awaiting _something_ to happen between Delia and Tylor. Of course, bear in mind that this story's genre isn't "romance," so any shipping in this story will be minimal, but there's nothing wrong with hints, right? A bit more light will be shed on Tylor's character this time, too, for those curious about learning more about Ash's dad in this story. Enjoy!

Oh, and lastly, do me a favor as you read the latter part of this chapter. Remember that this story specifically takes place in early Kanto seasons _before_ Ash, Misty, and Brock separate. Keeping this in mind will help make the end of this chapter easier to appreciate.

**

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**

NOTHING BUT LIES

_**Aiselne Phoenix**_

**Chapter 5: "Outcast and Lonely"**

"Ty..." Delia muttered as she sat at the kitchen table, depressingly staring at the three plates on the table with food barely touched. None of the Ketchums were hungry, and such was another reminder of how things went to hell so quickly. Biting her lip, Delia decided to at least try and improve _some _of the matter.

"I...want to apologize about what I said last night. About the tree and all..." Delia admitted, Tylor looking back up to her as if she just confessed something far worse. "I...shouldn't have started all that."

Blinking, Tylor then rolled his eyes, shaking his head as a small but appreciative smile pulled his lips. "Oh, come' on, Del. Let's not start this right now. We've got more important things to worry about," he reassured, though Tylor would be lying if he said Delia's words did not make him feel slightly better. But frankly, the last thing Tylor wanted was for them to get bogged down by past arguments. He and his family had enough things to worry about in the present.

"I'm still sorry," Delia softly confessed, fiddling with her hands in her lap.

"I know you are, but...jeez, do you _really _think I care about that stupid argument right now, Delia?" Tylor asked, almost giving her a rather silly look and making Delia feel a tad foolish for her confession. "Believe me..." Tylor continued. "...I'm no saint in this, either," he confessed, Delia curiously locking her eyes with her husband's.

"What do you mean?" inquired Delia, wondering if Tylor was indeed talking about the same topic she was alluding.

Running a hand through his raven hair, Tylor exhaled, looking away from his wife's gaze momentarily before locking his eyes back with hers. "Let's face it; this happened _once _because of me. I'm sure that incident hasn't helped _this _time."

"Ty, don't blame yourself for this," Delia said gently but firmly. "You said it yourself; none of this is our faults."

Nodding, Tylor took another moment before returning her an appreciative smile. "Yeah, I know," he replied, his own smile provoking Delia's. "Thanks for reminding me, Del."

Delia smiled at the compliment. Despite all the pain they had been undergoing in the past twenty-four hours, it was nice to see her and her husband getting along for once. Delia only wished the circumstances were much better. _I really wish...we didn't just get along...ONLY during desperate times. _Still, Delia would be lying if she said she did not welcome Tylor's kindness. Quite frankly, Delia _needed _it right now.

"I'm a little worried about Ash, though," Delia admitted, her husband blinking at the sudden change in conversation.

Tylor checked the wall clock, noticing Ash had only left to speak to Misty about twenty minutes ago. _He hasn't been gone THAT long._ "Why?" he asked, turning back to his concerned wife. "Are you worried about what he might be telling Misty?" Tylor really did not feel like eavesdropping on his son's phone call if Delia said 'yes,' especially when Tylor promised Ash he would give the boy and Misty their privacy.

But Delia shook her head. "Not that," she corrected. "Honestly, I think he _needs _to tell someone about this and try to talk it out instead of bottling it in. But, what I'm _really _worried about..." she paused, shutting her eyes for a moment. "...Ty, I really think he's blaming himself for all this."

Tylor gasped silently, clearly taken aback by his wife's theory. "But we told him _not_ to," he reminded, remembering the talk he and Delia had with their devastated son that morning. "We told him this wasn't his fault."

"I know," Delia nodded, opening her eyes back at Tylor. "But...honey, I noticed that...when I told you two about Carl, Ash seemed...'upset,' of course...but..." she stopped, biting her lip momentarily. "...He also looked ashamed of himself, at least only for a moment that I could tell. I really think he's blaming himself because this all started after his fall."

"But he's _not _at fault, Delia," Tylor swore. "God, _none _of us are at fault!"

"Of course not, but..." replied Delia, while a small but sad grin appeared on her face. "...But he's...stubborn, Ty," she admitted sadly. "He's...a lot like you when he gets something stuck in his head."

- - - - - - - - - -

Everyone was exhausted by ten o'clock. Tomorrow was guaranteed to be another long day, and this evening was certain to be a horrible night for sleeping. Both Tylor and Delia even wondered if they would be able to get _any _sleep tonight.

"He's asleep," Delia muttered, making sure to keep her and her husband's voices low as they proceeded into her bedroom whilst Ash was sound asleep on Delia's bed. Both parents smiled understandingly, figuring it best to leave the boy there for the night.

"Normally, I'd take the couch, but I don't know where you'll sleep this time," Tylor kidded softly, coercing Delia to shoot him a playfully glare. But instead of countering her husband's notion, the woman pulled out a light blanket from her closet and draped it over her sleeping boy on the bed. "Unless..._you _want to take the couch, Del?"

Rolling her brown eyes, Delia averted her gaze from Ash to Tylor, shooting the man another look. "And where will _you _sleep, the _car_?"

"I had to once," Tylor teased matter-of-factly, noticing his wife remember that segment perfectly. "Remember when you were really, _really _mad at me?"

"You're going to have to be more specific, Tylor," Delia kidded, though knowing _exactly_ the time he was referencing. "You're _not _going to be sleeping in the car," she ordered, shaking her head at the bad memory. Delia could not remember _why _she made Tylor do that, but she certainly remembered _when _she did it. _What in God's name possessed me to do THAT?!_

Liking the light-heartedness, Tylor decided to play along. "I'm _not_?!" he whispered in a fake gasp. "Pre tell, how come?"

Delia giggled, also liking the brief humor. After a hellish day like today, she needed this moment with her husband. "Because I'm not really, _really _mad at you."

"That's a switch."

"Do you _want _to sleep in the car?"

"Not particularly."

"Then don't push your luck, Mr. Ketchum," Delia warned playfully, turning her attention back down at her sleeping son as she heard Tylor chuckle in the background. As much as she was enjoying the light-heartedness of the matter, her enjoyment quickly faded as she stared down at Ash and caressed his face lovingly.

"Poor guy," Tylor spoke softly, joining near Delia. He loved his son, but seeing Ash just now suddenly reverted Tylor back at the reality he and his family were currently facing, through no fault of Ash's. "It _has _been a long day, hasn't it?"

Delia nodded in agreement, but sighed a moment later, looking back up at her husband. "Yeah, but, I don't think exhaustion's the culprit here, Ty," she suspected, taking Tylor's hand into hers, Tylor instantly blinking for two reasons. One; by the unexpected sign of affection Delia rarely showed him in recent years, and two; because her hand was damp, and it was the same hand that caressed their son's face. Knowing all he needed to know, Tylor shut his eyes and sighed sympathetically. "Poor guy," he repeated, this time far more understandingly and apathetically than before.

"I just hope..." Delia prayed. "…His conversation with Misty went all right."

"Same' here," Tylor nodded, their hands finally parting as they decided to leave their son alone. Ash needed all the sleep he could get, as did his parents. Leaving the room as silently as possible, Delia and Tylor shut the door behind them, standing in the hallway between Delia's room and Ash's.

"The guest room's pretty cluttered right now," Delia recalled, remembering how the guest room had been christened another 'storage room' due to its disuse in recent years. The most 'guests' her house entertained anymore were Ash's friends, and they always slept in the boy's room. Thus, the upstairs guest room was now chock full of boxes of old clothes and items Delia was planning on getting rid of in the near future. "But I _could_ re-shift a few boxes around so you could open the futon for the night…"

"Del, it's after ten o'clock," Tylor interjected before putting on another playful grin and folding his arms across his chest. "I'm not gonna' have you do housework at _this_ hour. _I'll_ fix up the guest room if you don't mind taking the couch."

The mentioning of the couch brought back a few bitter memories for both spouses, especially Delia. Many nights, when Delia was mad at her husband for one reason or another, she sent Tylor to the couch whilst she slept in their bedroom. Now, in retrospect, she felt a tad guilty for doing such. How _many_ nights had she sent Tylor to the couch? 'Too many' as far as she was concerned. _Perhaps it's time I got a taste of my own medicine, _Delia teased herself before nodding at Tylor's suggestion. "Seems' only fair."

Tylor chuckled. Frankly, he had gotten very used to that sofa, and it was not overly uncomfortable, either. Of course, he would be lying if he said it was better to sleep on the couch than sleep in the same bed as his wife. Alas, Tylor knew his arguments with Delia never helped matters over the years. And right now, _now _was certainly was _not_ the time or place for them to simply start sleeping together again, not that Tylor would have minded it. Something like that would probably help both him _and _Delia, but it simply was not the time or place.

"Well, I think I'm going to hit the sack," Delia spoke, grabbing Tylor's attention. "I left extra pillows and blankets in Ash's room for when Misty and Brock slept over, so you can use those if you want," she offered, before turning around and heading back down the hallway whence they came toward the living room. Stopping to turn back to him, Delia put on a pleasant smile. "Sweet dreams, Ty."

When was the last time he heard _that_? Tylor could not remember, but her words certainly made him feel better. Smiling back, Tylor nodded sincerely. "You too, Del. Sweet dreams."

It had been a long time since she had heard those words, too, and Delia missed the warm sensation they sent through her. She could not recall the last time she and Tylor had been in the same house and did _not _bicker. Although she wished they could have gotten along during a less stressful situation, at the very least, this sudden contentment between her and her husband was a welcomed painkiller amidst the depression and anguish these rumors induced. Delia highly doubted she could handle this matter on her own, and Tylor felt the same.

- - - - - - - - - -

It had been a while since Tylor last step foot in his son's room. From the moment he entered, a proud yet bittersweet smile pulled his lips. Ash's room reminded Tylor of his own bedroom way back when he was his son's age: an aspiring Pokemon trainer whose mind focused solely on the subject of Pokemon. Posters, plush animals, bed sheets, magazines, and figurines...it all related to the _same_ thing, and Tylor felt nostalgia fill him. The room really had not changed very much in the past twenty years. When Tylor was Ash's age, the room pretty much looked _just _like it did now.

With the door shut, Tylor turned on a small desk lamp, admiring Ash's room and recalling his own, only unlike Tylor's, this room had one very distinct feature to it. One particular wall was not cluttered with Pokemon posters, but rather, a series of photographs. Smiling, Tylor approached the wall, taking note of every single picture taped there. It was not a collage; only about ten pictures at the most, but each of them had one thing in common: _family_.

One photo was of Tylor, Delia, and a five-year-old Ash at a county fair, all three of them smiling brightly and holding bunches of colorful balloons. Another picture captured the family of three when Ash was slightly older, probably six years old, taken at a barbeque the Oaks held at their ranch that year. Tylor chuckled at that particular memory. His curious son ran off at one point to go play with Professor Oak's Pokemon. Later, Tylor found the frightened little boy cornered by one very feisty and mischievous Pichu; so feisty it nearly shocked Tylor, never mind Ash! Thinking back on it, Tylor turned around suddenly, gazing at the little Pikachu sleeping sounding on Ash's bunk bed. There was no real proof, but Tylor was almost certain he knew what became of that stubborn Pichu. _I wonder if Ash or Pikachu recall it?_ Tylor pondered. _They were both pretty young when it happened._

Turning back to the photos, Tylor recognized a few other familiar pictures, most of them displaying 'get-togethers' from over the years, mostly when Ash was younger. But Tylor noticed the time span seemed to end at one other particular photo, a tad different than the others. It was the most recent of the bunch. Ash was his current age, and the photograph did not picture a town gathering or party. Rather, the picture featured just the three Ketchums in their living room, smiling before a brightly lit and well-decorated Christmas tree. It was his favorite Christmas memory; a beautiful family photo...

...And it was their last Christmas together.

Reality slammed right back into him as Tylor found himself unable to tear his brown eyes away from the picture. That photo was taken several months ago, and this was the first time since then that the Ketchums were back together. It felt as though Christmas only happened yesterday, while at the same time, it felt like the holiday happened centuries ago. That was the Ketchum's last Christmas together. Even long before that holiday, he and Delia had been having problems and bickering, but that day, they set their issues aside and had an honest to goodness _good day_ with their son. Based on their jubilant smiles frozen in the picture, it was hard to believe the same family was now struggling to stay together.

...Until now.

_Time flies, _Tylor thought, still staring at the photo, his eyes now attracted to Delia's bright smile. _God...has it really been so long since we've gotten along, Del? _he wondered, his brown eyes then falling at their son. Despite the circumstances, Tylor felt privileged to be spending more time with Ash, since Delia often pushed Tylor away. The woman sometimes ignorantly figured it was valid punishment to deprive Tylor of his son, without even realizing she was accidently punishing Ash via depriving him of his father. Even though Ash was not _that _much older, he still _was _older. Tylor would be lying if he said he was not bothered by the time he lost between when the photo was taken and now. Knowing he missed so many precious moments _deeply _bothered Tylor Ketchum.

"...Dad...?"

Blinking, Tylor spun around, a bit started by the sudden voice within the stillness of the room. But not a second later, Tylor smiled gently, walking over to the opened door where his son now stood. "Hey, kiddo," the man gently greeted, inviting Ash into his room. "Your mom and I didn't wake you, did we?"

Shaking his head, Ash rubbed his eyes. Tylor could not fully tell if the boy's reddish eyes were induced by tiredness, tears, or both. "No," Ash softly responded. It was no lie; Ash woke up out of a sound sleep for some reason or another, but he knew it had nothing to do with his parents. In fact, finding his father in his room was a bit surprising to Ash. "What're...you doing in here, Dad?" Tylor _was_ welcomed in his room, but Ash was just curious as to _why_ Tylor was there. The man's presence just still seemed odd, especially since Ash figured his parents would be tired and sleeping by now.

Chuckling, Tylor ran a hand through his hair. "I was actually going to take some of the extra pillows and blankets into the guest room," he answered, just now realizing how the photos easily distracted him and made him forget about his original reasons for entering Ash's room. "But...I couldn't help but notice those pictures you've got on your wall over there," he noted, pointing at the same wall he had admired just a moment ago. "Quite' a collection you got there, kiddo."

A small, slightly sheepish smile pulled Ash's lips at the compliment. Part of him always felt a tad childish for practically making a small shrine of photos on his wall, even if there _were _only a few pictures overall. But Ash knew that wall was very special, too. Whenever he felt sad over his parents' separation he would revert to those pictures. The 'shrine' was conveniently near his lamp, too. Thus, even in the dead of night, whenever Ash felt lonely he could turn on that light, never attract attention, and just immerge himself in the memories. Come to think of it, considering the bittersweet loneliness, gazing at that wall sounded pretty appealing at the moment.

"You wanna' sit down?" Tylor suddenly offered, Ash blinking as his dad sat down on his son's bed and invited his son to sit down beside him. Alas, Ash was a tad hesitant to do so.

"Aren't you tired, Dad?" Ash asked gently, sounding a tad tired, himself.

Shaking his head, Tylor smiled. "Not really. I should probably ask you the same, though," he teased lightly, noticing his son's worn face and reddened eyes. Delia was right; their poor son _had _cried himself to sleep, since the evidence was obvious. The sight alone tremendously pained Tylor, knowing his son was hurting so very much.

"Ash..." Tylor then started, coercing his boy to stand before him. Placing a hand on his son's shoulder, Tylor rubbed it gently, much as he had that morning. "Mom seems to think you're blaming yourself for all this," he explained, noticing Ash's face fall almost instantly. Tylor was afraid of this. "...Ash, you shouldn't be."

"I know, but..." Ash started, biting his lip as he looked away for a moment. "...Dad, if I had known _any_ of this would've happened, I would've never climbed that tree-"

"Ash, _nobody _knew this would've happened," Tylor interrupted, drawing his son's face back to face him. "And if you think you're the cause of all this, you're not, and you certainly shouldn't blame yourself," he encouraged, glancing down at Ash's left cast for a moment. "It was an accident, nothing more. So don't worry yourself with that, okay? Your mom and I sure don't blame you, if that's what you're worried about."

Tylor was right. It _was_ stupid for Ash to blame himself for this matter. But frankly, while Ash _had _blamed himself for the situation, he was plagued by a far deeper concern; something he _was _guilty about.

Tylor figured his words would have been a good confidence booster for Ash, but they were not. The boy still looked troubled, meaning either he did not believe his father, or something else was _really _bothering Ash. "Anyway..." Tylor started, deciding to change the subject. The last thing he wanted was to upset Ash _more_. "So, how'd your call with Misty go?" the father asked innocently with a pleasant demeanor. He figured that would have been a nice change, but...

...Blinking, Tylor's face fell as he finally figured out what was _really _wrong with Ash. The innocent question easily provoked his son to look away, and Tylor noticed the boy's shoulder under his comforting hand stiffen and tremble. At the very least, Tylor knew what the _real_ problem was now. "Ash...did something wrong happen when you talked to her?" _Please God...no more bad news. _Tylor doubted it would concern him and his wife, but bad news for Ash was bad news for the rest of them.

Ash did not know what to say, and whether he did or not, he doubted he _could _say it. Just like the phone call, tears started to threaten him all over again, and here Ash thought he shed enough already.

"You want to talk about it, kiddo?" Tylor offered gently, letting go of Ash's shoulder as to not force him. If Ash did not feel ready to talk about whatever it was that bothered him, Tylor did not want to force him. He still wanted to encourage Ash to talk, but right now, Tylor did not want to hurt the boy, either.

Swallowing, Ash looked back at his father, still feeling a tad foolish and guilty all together. In actuality, _Tylor _was the one who deserved consolation, not Ash. Ash was not the one being falsely accused.

"What did you and Misty talk about?" Tylor inquired curiously, wondering if the kids' conversation was the source of this problem. He had heard from Delia that Ash and Misty had tendencies to argue, ironically just as Tylor and Delia often did, so perhaps another fight ensued over the phone.

"Not much, actually," Ash finally muttered, making Tylor blink. Tylor did not know exactly how long Ash and Misty had talked, but he doubted it was _that _short to talk about 'not much.' "We...never really got around to talking about anything."

Tylor chuckled softly. "You must have talked about _something_," he figured lightly. "Otherwise, it must have been a pretty boring conversation."

"It…wasn't really much of a conversation, either," Ash admitted, biting his lip.

"Is _that _what's bothering you; that you two didn't talk very much?"

"...Not really."

"Kiddo, I think I'm missing something," Tylor admitted, smirking gently. "What's got you so down? You can tell me."

"I know, but..." Ash trailed, looking away from Tylor again.

"How come you two didn't talk about much?" Tylor then asked curiously, noticing his son tense that that question. "Both of you seemed pretty excited when Misty first called. I figured you two would be talking for _hours_..."

…But Tylor stopped, blinking as he took notice of his son, still looking away and his entire body trembling more so than before. And while Ash's face was turned away, Tylor could more than easily hear a few sniffles. Carefully placing his hand back on his son's trembling shoulder, Tylor's face softened sympathetically. "Ash...please tell me what's wrong."

"...This is...just what happened..." Ash choked, biting his lip harshly as he shook his head. "...When we talked. I didn't...w-want to tell her what was wrong, cause' I...didn't want to worry her, b-but..." He paused, wiping his eyes with his good arm. Things were starting to get ironic all over again. "...I-I just started crying, and...I couldn't s-stop." _Much like now._

It somehow did not surprise Tylor very much. "What did you tell her?" he asked gently, figuring that if what Ash said was true, his actions must have stirred Misty's concern. But Tylor was also a tad concerned of what Ash might have said. Tylor did not need news of these rumors spreading _outside_ Pallet, either. Delia said Misty lived in Cerulean City, and Tylor had no intentions of letting these rumors spread _that _far. He trusted his son and his friends completely, but it was 'eavesdroppers' Tylor worried about.

"I...didn't tell her a-anything," answered Ash, continuously wiping his eyes with his good hand. "...I..._couldn't_. I c-couldn't stop crying, and I didn't want...to worry her. But..."

Part of Tylor was relieved. At the very least, these rumors would not spread past Pallet, at least of what he was aware of at the moment. But at the same time, something did not seem right. If what Ash said was true, then the boy did nothing wrong. _So...why is he so upset?_ "Ash, I'm still missing something." Tylor admitted, faint sobs still evident from his son. "...There's nothing bad about what you did, so...what's wrong?" he wanted to know, massaging Ash's shaking shoulder while the boy covered his quivering mouth. "Kiddo, why are you so upset?" _You did nothing wrong._

"W-we...we've never really...s-separated like this before," Ash admitted, feeling ever so childish for his emotions. He was well aware that a part of growing up was parting with friends, and that bittersweet day would probably come eventually. But hell, he, Misty, and Brock had not separated like _that_, at least not _now_! They split up for a few _weeks _to spend time alone with their families. A few weeks, a month tops...not a _lifetime_! It was not like he would never see them again after this vacation. Plus, it really was not fair for Misty and Brock to rarely see their families, too. Their families deserved visits just like any other, and it was wrong to deny them those visits. Based on his experience with Tylor, Ash knew _exactly _what it felt like not to see a loved one in such a long time. Ash of all people understood, and that was probably why he made the suggestion for him and his friends to split in the first place. _He _was the one who encouraged Misty and Brock to go home and spend time with their families. 'Family time' was something Ash held sacred, probably because his own family had been constantly rocky and divided over the recent years. _He _was the one who practically insisted Misty and Brock go back to their homes.

And yet, despite his idea, _he _was the one who was taking it all back. When Ash first concocted the idea of Misty and Brock spending times with their families, it sounded like a wonderful idea, and it _was_ a good idea. But at the same time, Ash never considered how overwhelming the loneliness would be once his friends _did _leave. He kept insisting they leave, especially after his sudden accident, and he never once backed down or broke down when Misty and Brock did eventually leave.

But now was completely different. The trio never separated for an extended amount of time. Hell, Ash was having a hard time coping the first twenty-four hours! How in God's name was he going to manage the _rest _of the month? Perhaps it was just the 'first day jitters,' like the bout of homesickness he got during his first night out on his Pokemon journey. But such anxiety usually bugged him the first day or so, and then a few days later, Ash would be perfectly back to normal.

On the other hand, this ordeal with the rumors was not helping, either. Ash probably would not have minded his friend's departure so much if he was not undergoing such hellish circumstances. He was not technically alone, either. Ash had his parents, but...Delia and Tylor were having their own anguish and pain to endure. They did not need their son acting like a baby just because he deeply missed his friends.

"You miss them, don't you?" Tylor answered his own question, his heart going out to his son as Ash nodded sadly, another muffled sob coming from the boy's hand-covered mouth. So _that _was the problem; what Tylor called 'friend-sickness,' identical to homesickness, except instead of missing one's home and parents, one missed his friends. Tylor went through _plenty _of such when he was Ash's age. During their travels, Tylor and Leo encountered many friends, and used to travel in a large group, a few more companions than Ash traveled with on his current quest. With so many traveling buddies came more protection and memories, but also more frequent goodbyes, too. Tylor and Leo had remained together throughout the majority of their quest, but as for the rest of their large group, the vast majority had left at some point. Each and every departure was painful. Ash was much like his father when Tylor was young, because he tended to get very attached to friends, which made goodbyes harder. So Tylor knew exactly what Ash was going through. _The first times are always the hardest,_ Tylor admitted, biting his lip discreetly. _And this rumor shit CAN'T be helping._

"I...s-shouldn't be like this," Ash choked suddenly, Tylor perking at that comment. Frankly, it was only _natural _for Ash to be feeling this way, but... "I..._told _them to go, after all."

Tylor cocked his head curiously. "You _'told' _them to go, Ash?" Tylor asked, strangely. "How come?" _Did they get into a fight or something?_ Tylor was not _entirely _aware of the exact reasons why Misty and Brock left, but he could have sworn he heard something about 'families' being involved.

"Because they...hardly see their families," Ash explained, swallowing a few more tears. "I...w-_wanted _them to get to see their families, and not just during a holiday. That's why...I didn't want Misty to know what's...h-happening right now. She'd leave home right away and come back if she knew...and Brock would too if he found out, and I wanted them to stay with their families and e-enjoy themselves."

A proud smile pulled Tylor's lips. _Oh Del, our son is really growing up, isn't he? _Unfortunately, although Tylor felt very much enlightened, he still felt confused. Ash wanted his friends to spend time with their families, and he did not want to drag them into this rumor fiasco in fear it would cut their family time short. _So...what's wrong with that? NOTHING._ "But Ash..." Tylor started, still smiling but still confused as ever. "...There's nothing wrong with that."

"I still m-miss them," Ash admitted whole-heartedly. He told his friends several times before they left that he would miss them, but Ash never thought he would miss them _this _much.

"I know you do," Tylor understood, feeling nostalgic sympathy wash over him. Ash certainly was not the first person in the room to endure 'friend-sickness,' and it probably would not be his last time, either. "I'm sure Misty and Brock miss you, too. But kiddo..." he then started, trying to finally get his son to look back at him. "...You're not alone in this, either. You've still got your mom and me."

Ash refused to look back at his father, whilst Tylor noticed another stream of tears run along his son's partially hidden face. Ash knew what Tylor said was true, but on the other hand, "But...you and Mom are...already hurting," Ash choked, Tylor blinking at his son's comment. "I'm...not the one...being accused...I-_I_ should be...comforting _you_. I c-can't be...selfish..."

As if hit with the most enlightening blow of reality, everything immediately came into place for Tylor. _So THIS is what's wrong, and what's been wrong all along._ Smiling understandingly, Tylor drew his son closer to him, just enough to place both of his hands on Ash's shoulders and have the boy fully face him, though Ash instinctively looked down, almost he had done something he should be ashamed of. _Quite the contrary..._

"Ash, listen to me," Tylor started gently but firmly, a few more obvious sobs coming from the boy as well as a few falling teardrops. "You're _not _being selfish," Tylor reassured, chuckling lightly at the thought. "Quite the contrary, you're being anything _but _selfish. God, not many kids your age would've done what you did, kiddo. Letting' their friends leave to spend time with their families, and _especially _never tell them if something's wrong, to ensure they don't loose family time..." Tylor praised, rubbing his son's trembling shoulders affectionately. "Ash, I think that's the definition of 'self-_LESS'_."

His son sniffled, wiping away a few tears as Ash clearly started taking in his father's kind words. "But I...still miss them, Dad."

"_Of course_ you do, and that's only natural, especially if you've rarely separated," Tylor continued, trying to gently drill some sense into his troubled boy. "But that doesn't mean you're being selfish. Missing people is just proof of how much you care and love them, that's all. It's got _nothing _to do with selfishness.

"And Ash..." Tylor then started, gently squeezing Ash's shoulders to get his attention. "...Don't be afraid to come to your mother and me," Tylor encouraged, noticing his son tense slightly at the topic. "You're not the one being accused, but you've been pulled into this just as much as your mom and I have," Tylor said, hating how this ridiculous rumor fiasco seemed to tear apart his family on such high emotional levels...and the rumors were not even _true_! "We're _together _in this, and your mom and I know you need just as much comfort as we do." _Perhaps more. _"So don't be afraid to-"

Tylor did not even need to finish his sentence for Ash to understand the message. Midstream, the boy nearly collapsed into his father's welcoming arms, holding on tightly to Tylor as Ash let go of his suppressed anguish, something he had not been able to do in his father's arms for years. Tylor was right; they were together again, meaning they were in this situation _together_, and while missing Misty and Brock was still fully understandable, at the very least, Ash did not feel quite as lonely as before. "I love you, Dad," the boy choked, it seeming like centuries since Ash last said that with such affection and emotion.

And it felt like centuries for Tylor, too. Smiling firmly, Tylor chuckled, tightly hugging his son and rubbing his back. "I love you, too, Ash," he replied, parting slightly as to finally be able to wipe away some of the tears that stained the poor boy's face.

"And you know something?" Tylor started, his smile never leaving him as Ash blinked.

"...What?"

"If you're looking for a way to comfort your mom and me..." Tylor chuckled, ruffling Ash's black hair. "...I know it'd really cheer me up to see that smile of yours, kiddo," Tylor admitted, caressing Ash's damp face gently. It felt like eons since Tylor saw that golden smile of Ash's. "That would make me happy right now."

Despite how odd it seemed at such an emotional time, Ash could not have denied his dad's request even if he wanted to. Quite frankly, as he felt his shaky smile form and a few small tears escape his eyes, Ash noticed that just as Tylor brightened, so did Ash. Apparently, his smile not only cheered the father up, but the son as well, and Ash wondered if Tylor planned that all along.

**Next Episode: "Desperate Times"**

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**A/N****:** Happy' that more light is being shed on Tylor? Guess what? More is on the way next time. I've stated before in my commentaries to my other Pallet story, "Because You Loved Me," that I've written a bunch of "Ash's dad" stories. All of them are different and unique theories on who the _real_ Mr. Ketchum could be. "Tylor" is one of my favorite variations, and "Nothing But Lies" will start incorporating more insight on his character.

So, what did you think about the semi-Parentshipping? At least Delia and Tylor aren't biting each other's heads off anymore, right? I hope you also enjoyed Ash and Tylor's father-son moment in the end. Heavens knows our Sato-Chan deserves a bonding moment with his dad since the anime writers don't seem to ever want to unveil his dad's true identity! Jeez, it bugs me how the writers deprive poor Ash of his dad! More family moments like these are ahead.

The rumors have taken a backseat for the past few episodes, but they'll be back next time. Episode 6 of this bittersweet Pallet Town drama comes week!

So how did this week fare? "Good," I hope. Review away if you liked it. I'd also like to take this moment to thank everyone who has read/reviewed "Nothing But Lies" so far. Your comments mean so much to me. From Aiselne to you, thanks so very much!


	6. Desperate Times

**COPYRIGHT NOTE**: I don't own _Pokemon / Pocket Monsters_.

**COMMENTS**: As mentioned in the last chapter, the rumors took a backseat for the past couple of "episodes" for character development/drama and so forth. But now the rumors are back, and with a vengeance I might add. More developments with Tylor are ahead, too, plus (as you can guess) more Ash cuteness (are you surprised? ^_-). Enjoy!

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NOTHING BUT LIES

_**Aiselne Phoenix**_

**Chapter 6: "Desperate Times"**

"Carl, we need to talk," Tylor started that bright early morning, sitting down on a metal folding chair in the back kitchen of Carl Sampson's restaurant, where Delia _used _to work. Of course, Tylor had no plans of leaving the place until Delia _did _work there again.

Tylor left his house around four o'clock that morning. Carl's business opened at six A.M, and Tylor was well aware that Carl would be at the restaurant long before opening hours. As Tylor expected, the owner had just arrived at his business, looking a bit stunned and nervous by Tylor's sudden appearance. _The guy just fired my wife for no damn reason..._ Tylor scoffed to himself. _…What did Carl THINK I'D do, sit around and 'go with the flow'?!_

"Ty, look...I know why you're here," Carl replied, not hiding his nervousness very well. Carl and Tylor knew each other for several years, and Carl also knew Tylor was not a person to fear. Yet, Tylor was not exactly someone to screw around with when angry, either...and Tylor looked _beyond _angry that morning. "And I'm really sorry about letting Delia go, but..."

"If you're so sorry then give my wife back her job," Tylor said plainly and bluntly, not at all hiding his disgust in the matter. Tylor was not yelling or blasting Carl, but he was not planning on pussyfooting around the subject, either. Both men knew the reason _why_ Delia was fired, and Tylor was in _no_ mood to beat around the bush of an obvious subject.

Carl sighed whilst running a hand through his brown hair. "I would if I could, believe me, Ty, but I just _can't_," he admitted, biting his lip. It was pretty obvious Carl, himself, was not happy with his decision anymore than was Delia and her family. "…Not while these rumors are flying around."

"How did you even find out about them?" Tylor inquired with a furrowed brow. "Ash's accident happened two days ago...you fired Del last night. You' mean to tell me you fired Delia because of rumors you only knew about for about _twenty-four hours_?! Christ, Carl, we graduated from the same college..._top _of our classes. You're a much more rational thinker than _this_!"

"I know, but...the rumors came so sudden," Carl admitted hesitantly, not at all very convincingly for Tylor. Chewing on his lip again, Carl paused for another second before pulling out his next excuse. "And Paula-"

"Woah woah woah," Tylor sung sarcastically, raising a hand to halt Carl's latest excuse. "So _Paula's _behind all this?" he deduced, not too surprised when Carl reluctantly nodded. Groaning, Tylor rolled his brown eyes. "Look, I don't know what tiff Delia and your wife have, but if Del lost her job because Paula-"

"Paula told me she heard about the rumors at the women's guild yesterday and she insisted that I let Delia go," Carl explained quickly, cutting off Tylor to try and get this conversation finished as soon as possible. After all, Mr. Sampson had to start getting ready for his menu's early bird specials, but more importantly, Carl just wanted to get Tylor off his back soon. "I told Polly to wait, and I told her the rumors sounded preposterous, but..."

Tylor pretty much figured out the rest. He knew Delia and Paula Sampson rarely got along. Despite how pleasant Delia could be, it was only natural for _one_ person on earth to never see eye to eye with her, and that 'one person' happened to be Carl's wife. Tylor never fully understood why the women disliked each other, but he figured it had something to do with their opposite personalities. Delia was the bright, optimistic, cheery type, and Paula was more on the arrogant, bossy side. Mrs. Sampson liked things done _her _way, and on a few occasions, Delia's stubbornness would clash with Paula's arrogance. It was strange, since Delia always liked Carl and enjoyed working with him. Then again, Carl he was nothing like his wife, and Tylor often wondered how the hell a timid guy like Carl wound up with an overbearing woman like Paula. _Opposites attract, perhaps? _Tylor assumed. Whatever the case, the Sampsons had been married for even _longer _than Tylor and Delia, so there was obviously _something _between Carl and Paula. _I don't think it would kill Carl to grow a spine with his wife, though. The guy's really smart, but when it comes to Paula, he's a total coward. _Either way, though, Tylor was not too surprised to know Delia's firing was Paula's handiwork, though cat fighting was no excuse, either.

"Look, Ty..." Carl started, a bit more seriously and firmly than before, regaining Tylor's attention with a stern look. "...Regardless, this restaurant of mine is a _family _business," he spoke, causing Tylor to blink at that thought, particularly how Carl said the word 'family.' Carl was right; families from all over Pallet Town regularly dined at his restaurant. "And, when I say 'family' business, I'm not only talking about this being passed down by my relatives, either. This is a restaurant run by a family..._for _families."

"What's your point, Carl?" Tylor cut to the chase, hating how Carl tended to beat around the bush. Tylor preferred to be straightforward whenever possible, and he did not entirely relish suspense or prolonged drama. Such irritated Tylor, and it often wasted time, a mindset probably induced by his fast-paced office work in Viridian City. "Get to the point. Just be direct."

"My point is..." Carl continued, trying to find the gentlest of words, but knowing Tylor preferred direct harsh words to indirect gentle ones. Tylor really had not changed very much over the years, though he was much more rational and direct than he used to be as a kid. "...It's not going to make this business too appealing to families, especially families with _kids_, if a...'child abuser'...works here."

Well, Tylor _wanted_ Carl to be direct, after all. Alas, Tylor still could not help but feel his blood boil after hearing what just came out of Carl's mouth. "Carl, they're _lies_! Dear God, you should know us, especially Delia, better than _that_!"

"I don't believe it, Ty, _honest_!" Carl swore with all his heart, defensively holding out his hands and praying his friend would believe him. "There's no doubt in my mind that you and Del are innocent in all this, but..." he paused, swallowing as Carl took a rather quick breath at a disturbing thought. "...Not everyone in town thinks the same way I do." Hell, Carl's own _wife_ did not think the same way he did!

Delia had said last night that Carl believed their innocence, and Tylor _was _somewhat convinced of Carl's honesty, based on his words and features. Rumors aside, Tylor had known Carl for years, well enough to trust the man's proclamation. However, while Tylor was happy to find one more person who believed his and Delia's innocence, something still irked Tylor. "I've lived in this town for most of my life, Carl," muttered Tylor, turning away for a moment to shake his head in utter disbelief. "Hell, I _grew _up in the same house I live in now! Don't people know me well enough by _now_?!"

"One would think, but..." Carl trailed, both men knowing the answers. Tylor's last rumor incident did not entirely make this situation look too innocent...hell, _nothing _looked innocent. Last time, Tylor was accused of cheating on Delia because he was rarely home, going back and forth from his home and his job. This time around, Ash got into one more too many accidents. As such, residents found it somewhat ridiculous how the boy, even now, _still _managed to get himself hurt in stupid ways. Having two arguing parents, especially one suspiciously coming and going from town, did not help the Ketchum's position, either. Everything was innocent, but it just did not _look _or _sound _good.

"So what's next?" Tylor suddenly asked, not to anyone in particular but more so rhetorically and sarcastically. "Is Pallet going to accuse me of doing drugs or being an alcoholic? Maybe they'll think my 'job' in Viridian's connected to some underworld mob or terrorist chain."

"Christ' Ty, _come' on_," Carl groaned incredulously, rolling his eyes.

"I wouldn't be too surprised anymore, Carl," Tylor admitted, grinning in disgust. Yes, his aforementioned theory sounded preposterous, but these current rumors were no _less_ asinine. "God, I've lived here for most of my life, and during that lifetime I've been falsely accused _twice _in my own hometown! Believe me, Carl, a _third _accusation's not sounding quite so ludicrous right now."

"If there _is _anything I can do for you..." Carl started, before mentally kicking himself for a stupid suggestion. Short of settling the rumor ordeal, there was nothing else Carl could do for his friend. "I mean...aside the _obvious_..."

"Give Del her job back," Tylor said plain and simply, though he knew that would just send their discussion right back to where they started.

"I swear, once these rumors settle down, I'll _more _than happily give Delia her job back," Carl promised, sounding like he was swearing on his life. "I'll even give her a _raise_, but until then I just can't do it, Ty. Polly's got another baby on the way, and right now I don't feel like subjecting our kids-"

"I don't feel like subjecting _my _son to this, either, Carl!" Ty barked, silencing his friend instantly. "But the only difference between your kids and mine is that yours most likely _won't _be affected by this, even if you _do _get involved. Ash doesn't have that luxury! He's stuck in the middle of all this through no fault of his own and no way out of it, either! Hell, last night, he was even blaming himself, thinking it all started because of his accident...which _was _an accident. Why don't you go tell _THAT _to your wife and her damn yuppies?!"

"Tylor, I swear to God, if there was something else I could do for you, I'd do it," Carl repeatedly swore. "You know I'd help in a _heartbeat_, but I simply _can't_!"

"Can't stand up to your wife, you mean," Tylor snarled, knowing that was a rather sore subject with Carl, even though both men knew it was the cold truth. Alas, Tylor was sick of being 'nice' to people in a town that spat in his face. Delia's optimism rubbed off on Tylor, but Tylor could only play the 'nice neighbor' for so long, especially when his _other_ 'nice neighbors' kept crapping all over him and his family.

"Look, I'm..." Carl hesitated, stuffing his hands into his pockets and yanking out his leather wallet. "...Here, take this," offered the man, pulling out several large bills from his wallet and generously handing the wad to Tylor. "Use it to pay for a good lawyer. It's the least I can do."

So Carl claimed. "I don't want your Goddamn money, Carl!" Tylor snapped, chucking the bills right back at the so-called friend, each bill floating gracefully to the floor. "I want your Goddamn support and trust, which seems to be something very few people in this town are willing to offer nowadays!"

Tylor did not even bother to find out if Carl had a response, or if he ever picked up all those bills from the floor. So furious and disgusted with the matter, Tylor stormed out of the restaurant. He did not know if he made matters better or worse, or if Carl _would_ keep his word and give Delia back her job once the rumors were cleared.

Alas, at the moment, Tylor did not care about trivial matters. He was so repulsed by his hometown, a town he grew to love and cherish throughout his life. To think Pallet Town had changed so much over the years. It used to be no problem for people to collaborate together to solve problems. Nowadays, people were far more concerned with saving their own sorry asses, caring more about status and money than friends and loyalty. 'Survival of the fittest,' perhaps, but such felt more like a kick in the pants to Tylor. When he was younger, Tylor would be hard pressed think of anyone who would _not _help him in trouble. Nowadays, Tylor could hardly think of anyone who _would _help him.

Exhaling loudly and irritably, Tylor headed back to his car, wanting to get out of the situation before it got any worse. He felt somewhat sorry for taking out his anger on Carl, who really _did _seem apologetic. Yet, Tylor was still disgusted with the man, too, just like the rest of Pallet Town. Tylor needed some time alone via a peaceful car ride by the countryside to clear his head prior to making his next move. He planned on visiting Sam today to see if the Oaks had any luck in finding more supporters, and depending on their numbers would determine Tylor's following actions. It would either depend on the number of people...

...Or whatever condition his car was in.

Tylor's mouth dropped open as he finally noticed his blue car, still innocently parked in front of Carl's restaurant. It looked relatively the same, but with one significant distinction; it was on a _slant_. Shaking his head in absolute disbelief, Tylor closed the distance between himself and the car, kneeling down by the front driver's wheel. The wheel's bottom lined up perfectly with the flat street, and was decorated with a long gaping gash along its side. Someone slit his tire.

"I don't freakin' believe this!" Tylor growled, slamming his fist against the flat and useless tire. Matters were going from bad to worse: first the lack of support, now _this_. _What's next?!_

"Ty! What's wrong?!" Carl suddenly yelled, running out to the front of the restaurant after noticing the scene. It was pretty obvious though, as Carl instantly noticed his friend's car on a significant slant. Carl knew Tylor's car was not in that condition before Tylor got to the restaurant, that was for sure. "Oh jeez...you' want me to call the cops? I've got a jack I can lend you."

Tylor was definitely _not_ in the mood to deal with the police, never mind deal with Carl again. Unfortunately, despite how he had a spare tire in his trunk, Tylor knew Sam and Geoffrey would frown upon him if Tylor neglected to report this incident. Besides, who was to say that this slashed tire might not eventually lead to the culprit behind…the _rumors_? Such was idealistic, but it was all the hope Tylor had left at this depressing moment.

- - - - - - - - - -

It was around ten o'clock that morning before Tylor finally headed back to his house. Notifying the cops and fixing his tire did not take very long, but afterwards, Tylor needed a _long_ ride to clear his head. Thankfully, nothing else seemed to be wrong with his car, and as he drove through the lovely countryside, Tylor simply allowed himself to calm down.

_I doubt the police will do much, _Tylor lamented to himself, passing by some of the vast rural property of the Oak ranch. It reminded him of how he was going to meet with Sam later that afternoon, but Tylor first wanted to check on Delia and Ash. Tylor figured they would be worried about him after taking so long at Carl's, never mind once they found out about his car. _Though I didn't expect some wise-ass to give me a flat tire! The police have no suspect or witnesses, so the jerk will probably get off scot-free, too!_

_Will ANYTHING go right this week?!_ Frankly, Tylor was uncertain he was ready for an answer to that was Monday. Tomorrow, the tree removers would come to cut down the old oak tree that rewarded Ash with a broken arm. _What next? Will the tree come crashing through the friggen house?! Will the remover's forget the appointment and have me blow my down payment?! Maybe if the tree DOES fall down through the roof it'll be an incentive for me to finally get the hell out of this place. _

But Tylor did not want to think that way. Deep down, he still loved Pallet Town. He was born there, he grew up there, he was married there, he had a son there...Tylor did not wish to simply throw those memories away due to ludicrous lies.

Yet, at the same time, Pallet Town was starting to loose its wonder. For all the wonderful memories Tylor had there, he also had some bad memories, too. Such was only natural, since no place was 'perfect.' However, Tylor's problems with Pallet were not rooted in trivial matters, such as the neighbor's teenagers playing their stereos too loud or a neighbor's dog constantly using his yard as a public bathroom. Tylor could deal with such foolishness, but _not_ these rumors. He was once accused of cheating on his wife, and now accused of abusing his son...all thanks to his beloved hometown. Tylor was well aware that _no_ town was Xanadu. There was bound to be _some_ sort of problem _somewhere_, but these rumors...they were getting too much. When he was accused of cheating on Delia, vandalism never transpired, and frankly, Tylor did not need _anymore _to happen now.

_But what should we do? LEAVE Pallet for good? _What a preposterous question that sounded! Tylor vowed when he was little that he would never leave Pallet for good. He 'left' for his Pokemon journey, and later 'left' for a better job in Viridian when he was promoted to a higher-paying office. However, Tylor never intended on _completely _abandoning his Pallet Town residence. Tylor always planned on living in Pallet, growing old with Delia in the same house he grew up in, and watch his son and future family visit on holidays. Perhaps, after Tylor and Delia passed away, Ash and his wife and children would live in that house: the next Ketchum generation to live in it, and perhaps not the last. Pallet Town was the perfect setting for Tylor's dream; a serene, beautiful rural town by the mountains. It was not the ideal location for a businessman or Pokemon Master, a title Tylor was certain his son would achieve someday. Yet, as long as one did not mind commuting, Pallet Town could suit almost _anyone's _needs.

Or so Tylor used to think.

But now...Pallet had changed over the years, and Tylor never noticed the change until now. Times change; people become more cautious of others, wary of wrongdoers and danger. It was only natural, but Tylor never feared anything in Pallet, thus he always believed the other residents felt the same. But somewhere along the timeline, people became less trusting. They were more easily swayed by money and status, and did not seem to have qualms about betraying a friend if it meant ensuring their own selfish existence. It was a bitter way to believe, and yet, it was a bitter way matters turned out. Never in his life did Tylor believe he could think so loathsome about Pallet Town, but at the same time, never did he think his hometown could betray him and his family _twice_. Once was bad enough...twice was _unforgivable_.

_Don't think like that, dammit! _Tylor scolded himself as his car turned onto his home's street, the sound of crunching gravel resonating under his tires as he traversed the dirt road. _There are still SOME people who believe us and support us! We haven't been betrayed by EVERYONE! Don't give up yet._

And Tylor was right; it _was_ too early in the game to give up. Things were looking bleak, but Delia always told him how for every 'bad' thing, _some _'good' was bound to shine through. For all Tylor knew, wonderful news could counter his tire's slash once he got home. Perhaps Delia was waiting for him with news of another supporter, or perhaps Carl finally broke down and gave Delia her job back...

...Perhaps not.

Tylor noticed it the second he pulled into his driveway, parking the car and running across the lawn, halting as he stared down at the familiar creature carefully digging in the ground. The Pokemon had been helping at Professor Oak's lab lately, so Tylor had not seen it in a while, until now. "Hey, Mr. Mime," he greeted uncertainly, the clown instantly spinning around in surprise. "Didn't' mean to scare ya," Tylor lightly chuckled, causing the mime Pokemon to return a weak smile. Mr. Mime knew Tylor very well, and liked him, too, but right now, the reunion was not joyous at all, not when Tylor noticed what Mr. Mime was doing.

"Didn't Delia plant those tomatoes already?" Tylor frowned, taking note of all the things the Pokemon seemed busy planting. _Tomatoes...aren't they ripening at this time of year? _Tylor knew little of gardening, unlike his wife, but he was pretty sure he saw those tomatoes ripening just a few days ago. "And...what about the cabbage...?" he asked, pointing at where Mr. Mime had started franticly planting more vegetables. "And..." Tylor wondered, a chill running down his spine as he looked at the rest of the garden. Delia's garden was always in full bloom this time of the year, but now...it looked as if nothing had been planted...or more so..."Oh my God..."

...As if someone _stampeded _right through it.

Tylor left Mr. Mime to the planting as he ran inside the house, constantly praying his fears were not true, but knowing that was a stupid wish. If what happened in the garden was _not _what it seemed, then what the hell happened?! "Delia?!" Tylor called, trying to sound somewhat collected as to not cause alarm, though that was easier said than done. His front tire incident still had him rattled, too.

"Dad?!" Tylor heard Ash respond first, running out from the kitchen. Not a second later, Tylor instantly enveloped his son into an embrace, the father ever so thankful for his boy's safety. The house looked fine, though the same could not be said about the garden, but at the very least, what _really _mattered to Tylor was safe and sound.

"Ash? Where's your mother?" Tylor asked, parting from his son and looking him in the eye. "What happened in the garden?"

"I'm not sure," Ash admitted nervously, shaking his head. He was certainly not as upset as last night, but the boy still looked a tad jittery by whatever the hell happened. "Mom and I were having breakfast, and we then heard a bunch of people outside running through Mom's garden!"

"What?! _Who_?!" Tylor exclaimed.

"We don't know," Ash admitted, his face lowering. "They left as soon as they came. Mom called the police, but, we couldn't give them a description, so..."

_More people to get off scot-free,_ Tylor groaned in a sigh. However, according to Ash's account, there was _more than one_ person involved with the garden's vandalism. Tylor did not even know if it was one or more people involved in his tire incident, but Tylor doubted the incidents were unrelated. What were the odds of _two _acts of vandalism happening to his family in the _same _morning…and the episodes _not_ being connected?! _Dear lord God._

"But you're okay, right?" Tylor asked, calming himself down as to not worry his son. Instinctively, the man surveyed his son up and down, hoping to God he would not find any injuries upon his precious son. Fortunately, the only injury Tylor found was Ash's cast arm. "I mean, you and your mom are safe, right?"

Ash nodded. "Of course, nothing else happened, but..." he paused, looking back at the kitchen and biting his lip. Tylor had a sinking feeling of _who _was in the kitchen at the moment. "Mom's...pretty upset right now."

"I can't blame her," Tylor admitted, putting on a grateful smile for his son. Tylor was quite impressed at how Ash was holding himself together today, a dire contrast to yesterday. Then again, it did not surprise Tylor that Ash was remaining steadfast for Delia's sake, which was something Tylor appreciated. It was reassuring for Tylor to know that during his absence Ash was responsible enough to look after himself and Delia. "I'll go talk to her. Why don't you go upstairs, okay?"

Quite frankly, Ash was sick of 'going upstairs' when something bad happened. It always meant his parents wanted to talk without his presence. Ash understood and respected their privacy, but he felt undeniably useless when sent to his room in these situations. The boy was naturally impatient and energetic, but Ash also wanted to do something to _help_, without going against his parent's requests. "How about I..." he thought, putting on a small smile. "...I'll go help Mr. Mime fix Mom's garden."

Tylor could not help an appreciative smile pull his lips. Even during hellish times like these, Ash was still his typical self, ready willing and able to help others at any given moment. Last night, the boy claimed he wanted to help Tylor and Delia through this fiasco, and whether Ash realized it or not, he _was_ helping his parents…_immensely_. Chuckling appreciatively, Tylor pulled his son into one more hug, kissing Ash's forehead afterward.

"Thanks, kiddo," Tylor replied with a smile, happy to see that also brightened Ash's spirit tremendously.

- - - - - - - - - -

Ash left about five minutes later, after changing into some old clothes to go work outside in the messy garden. Tylor wondered exactly how much gardening knowledge the boy absorbed from his mother, but maybe Ash would surprise him. Either way, the boy's kind gesture was undeniably touching, and would more than easily brighten Delia once she found out. Whatever Ash did out there, Tylor doubted it _could not _bring a smile to him and his wife's faces.

But unfortunately, before any of that could transpire, Tylor had to attend to his wife in the kitchen, apparently sobbing into her hands as she sat at the kitchen table. The painful sight was not overly surprising to Tylor. Delia took great pride in her garden, and often won awards for it, so something like her garden getting ruined was easily devastating. Whoever the hell was behind this vandalism, they knew _just_ how to make an effective blow to the woman's heart.

"Del?" Tylor asked gently, slowly approaching her from behind and placing his hands on her slouched shoulders. He could feel Delia shudder under his touch as she cried, while a prolonged sniffle resonated from her hidden face. Softening his features, Tylor tenderly massaged her vibrating shoulders. "Honey, what happened?"

"What do you _t-think _happened, Ty?!" Delia bawled, her voice muffled by her hands and sobs. Shaking her head wildly, the woman's auburn bangs hid her head whilst she continued weeping, "They d-destroyed...my garden!"

Tylor knew he asked a rather stupid question, but he was not exactly asking the obvious, either. Rubbing her back, Tylor pulled up a chair beside Delia, sitting down and trying to encourage his wife to at least look at him. "I know, but...what _exactly _happened? Ash said you heard some people outside."

Sniffling again, Delia meekly nodded, still refusing to raise her head from her hands whilst a few tears dripped between the gaps in her fingers. "Oh God, Ty!" she cried. "They..._had _to be t-teenagers or something! About..._five_ of them I'd say! I d-didn't _dare _get near the windows...fearing they'd break in if they knew Ash and I were home. It happened...s-so fast, b-before I could get to the phone…they were gone!"

_Shit, _Tylor cursed to himself. _Yup, another group getting off scot-free. _"But _did _you call the police? _Afterwards_?"

"_Of course_ I did. But...I didn't have m-much information for them, so God only knows if they'll f-find who did this." Well, at least there _was _a police report: not a particularly _good _report, but a report, nonetheless. "But T-Ty..." Delia choked, weeping softly into her hands for a moment afterwards, unable to continue until her current round of tears ceased.

Tylor placed his hand on her farthest shoulder, drawing Delia close to rest her head on his shoulder. She never refused or pulled away, and quietly sobbed as Tylor delicately stroked her auburn hair, resting his forehead against her sweet-smelling hair. "What, Del?" he whispered gently.

Swallowing some tears, Delia lifted her face from her hands, just enough to wipe her eyes, keeping them away from Tylor's concerned orbs. "Oh honey...they ruined m-my garden, but...what they...s-_said _was worse!"

Tylor blinked, feeling his heart miss a few beats. "...What?" he asked off guard.

"They kept saying...h-_horrible _things!" Delia wept, burying her face onto her husband's shoulder as Tylor brought her into a comforting embrace, rubbing her back again soothingly as she cried. "…Countless obscenities, and h-how we're..._child a-abusers_! How we hurt o-our own son! How...w-we're not w-_welcomed _here anymore!" The last part was especially difficult for her to speak, especially to Tylor. "I...thought they'd never stop!"

Swallowing nervously, Tylor continued to massage her back, feeling never-ending chills run down his spine. A situation like this was something Tylor Ketchum was afraid of, but he was too hung up in the past to figure it could actually happen someday. "Did...Ash hear them, too?"

Wiping her eyes again, Delia shook her head. "He..._almost _did. He kept trying to go outside to...s-stop them, but...I didn't want to r-risk it. We hid in the bathroom...I...don't t-think he heard what they said," she assumed as Tylor sighed in relief. Ash had nothing but good intentions for trying to defend his home, but God only knew what those vandals were capable of, and or what they were _carrying_ with them. Tylor considered his family fortunate that the garden got the worst end of things...what if something similar happened to Delia or Ash? Tylor did not even want to _think _about that possibility!

"At least you're safe, Del," Tylor sighed gratefully as his wife continued to weep gently. "That's what really matters."

Tylor was right, and Delia was ever so grateful that nothing worse happened. But frankly, as crushed as she was over her demolished garden, Delia was far more devastated over something _else_. To think; this happened in her own town...to think _residents _of Pallet Town _vandalized_ her property! Pallet Town was not a violent or dangerous place by any means, and perhaps that made the incident all the more disturbing.

"This...isn't something I want our son to be s-subjected to, Tylor," Delia choked suddenly, Tylor blinking as her words resounded through his mind.

"Of course not, Del," Tylor agreed, continuing to rub her back...

...But only for a short time. As sudden as her last comment, Delia parted from her husband, getting up from her seat and heading to the sink, washing her tear-stained face with some cold water. Tylor followed her to the sink as she stared absentmindedly out the kitchen window, admiring the bright and beautiful Pallet Town morning scenery. It was going to be a lovely day as always, but...

"I...want to leave Pallet Town, Ty."

**Next Episode: "Desperate Measures"**

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**A/N**: The plot thickens, eh? The unthinkable is starting to unfold, or did you see this coming all along? Isn't Sato-Chan a _sweetheart_, helping fix his mom's garden (*gush*)? Of course, Ash probably knows zip about gardening, but it's the thought that counts. God bless you, Sato-Chan! (*gush* ^_^ *gush* Er, okay, I'll stop nauseating you, now). So what will happen next time? Will the Ketchums leave Pallet Town? Who's behind the vandalism? Who's behind the damn rumors? Wait and see!

Reviews with praise, constructive criticism, votes, and/or Ash-gushing are always welcomed (especially the fourth one ^_^).


	7. Desperate Measures

**COPYRIGHT NOTE**: I don't own _Pokemon / Pocket Monsters_.

**COMMENTS**: Shocking chapter last week, huh? Naturally, this episode continues right from where the other left off. "Nothing But Lies" is starting to build-up to its climax, meaning plenty more Ketchum drama is ahead.

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* * *

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NOTHING BUT LIES

_**Aiselne Phoenix**_

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Chapter 7: "Desperate Measures"

Tylor blinked in shock, talking a step back from his wife whilst Delia still kept her back to him. Stunned and breathless for a moment, Tylor thought he heard her incorrectly. "You..." he stuttered, his wife's last words the exact thing he feared all this time. Swallowing, "You...want to _leave_?" Tylor asked skittishly, noticing Delia's head nod once alongside a few sobs escaping her trembling lips. "But Del…it's only been two _days_-"

"My thoughts exactly!" Delia blurted out, spinning around and locking her tear-filled eyes with her husband's shocked orbs. "Two days and _already _we're getting vandalism! If it just takes _two _days for this, God only knows _what _could happen in _three _days, or _four_, or-"

"Delia…be reasonable," Tylor implored, slowly approaching her to put his hands on her tense shoulders. "Honey, I know you're upset over the garden-"

"This has _nothing _to do with my garden, Tylor!" blasted Delia, whipping his comforting arms away. "We're fortunate that the garden was the _only _thing that got wrecked! The whole time…I had the front door unlocked, figuring you'd be back soon. Those vandals could have broken into the house at _any _time and done whatever they liked! We're lucky they _didn't_!"

She could say _that _again. Tylor knew Delia was very trusting, and she often left the front door unlocked if she was expecting company, even if she was home alone. Delia never had any reason to be afraid of Pallet Town, but now... "Honey," Tylor spoke softly yet seriously. "…Don't leave the doors unlocked anymore, okay?"

"You' bet your life I won't!" Delia reassured in another snap, before the horrible 'what-ifs' littered her mind and refilled her eyes with tears. "My God, Ty…" she started wailing, wiping her puffy eyes as tears rapidly spilt out of them. "I've…never been so horrified before in my l-life! I thought they…would break in and…h-hurt Ash and me!"

"But they _didn't_, honey," Tylor reassured, taking his wife into his arms as she sobbed, burying her face into his chest. Delia was absolutely right; she and Ash were very fortunate that the vandals did not break in and bring harm upon to the wife and son. With the house's doors unlocked, there was nothing to stop the vandals from doing as they wished. Rubbing's Delia's shaking back, Tylor continuously thanked God for the safety of his family. Tylor did not know what he would have done if the unthinkable _did _happen. Today, he could have lost _much_ more than just a stupid garden.

"I...w-want to leave, Ty," Delia choked again, sniffling as she tried to part from him.

Alas, Tylor was unwilling to let her run off so easily, in more ways than one. "Honey, I know you're upset. So am I," Tylor said understandingly, exhaling as he recalled the little 'gift' he received outside Carl's restaurant that same morning. "Some asshole slit one of my front tires after I talked to Carl. That's why it took me longer to get home." If only that jerk left his car alone, Tylor might have been able to get home in time to ward off the garden vandals, and most importantly: protect Delia and Ash.

Blinking, Delia looked up to her husband's distressed face, a few more tears trickling down her appalled features. "They...d-_did_...?!" she gasped in a choke, absolutely exasperated and shocked by Tylor's remark. Another chill ran down her spine when Tylor reluctantly nodded, confirming the horrid truth. "Oh God..." Delia sobbed as a hand rose to her agape mouth.

"But I don't give a damn about that right now," Tylor swore, affectionately holding Delia tightly as his wife continued to cry softly into his soaked chest. "What matters is you and Ash are safe. We can always replace tires and vegetables, Del."

Delia smiled weakly, knowing what Tylor said was true. But at the same time, she found little comfort in his words. "But Ty..." she replied, swallowing a few tears as she raised her tear-soaked face to meet his eyes again. "I don't want to...risk things t-that are _irreplaceable_, either," Delia admitted while Tylor nodded in full agreement. "And…who's to say the n-next time-"

"Let's not think like that," Tylor interrupted, bringing a finger to her lips to shush her.

But Delia did not _want _to be shushed. Quickly parting from Tylor, she stepped back, leaning her back against the sink counter as she wiped her reddened eyes. "Tylor..._let's _think about that for a moment, shall we?" Delia challenged, causing Tylor to blink. Delia was using a very familiar tone with her husband, one Tylor often heard when she was angry with him over something. "There's no reason to believe this _can't_ happen again."

"Anymore than there is no reason to believe it _can_ happen again!" Tylor countered sharply.

Unfortunately, Delia simply continued, despite his valid reaction. "Tylor, what those people said was true; we _aren't _welcomed here anymore. We should've realized that back when people _first_ started spreading rumors about us."

"Del, listen to me..." Tylor started firmly, not at all liking the way his wife was talking. "...Let's take things one step at a time. I still have to get back to Sam about this, and for all we know he could've figured out a way-"

"And what if he _didn't_?!" Delia yelled, both of them a bit surprised at how fatalistic she was behaving all of a sudden. Delia was typically optimistic, so hearing her say such 'what-ifs' was not only strange, but it was a tad eerie. "Ty, I know you love Pallet Town, and so do I. However, you seem to be forgetting about _Ash_, and I refuse to subject him to anymore of this crap!"

"Del, I'm _just _as worried about him as you are! And did it ever occur to you that Ash might not want to leave, either?!"

"I don't _really _want to leave it, either, but I feel like everyone else in town _DOES_ want us to go!"

"We still have the Oaks on our side, and I'm sure Sam will-"

"Ty, I'm not worried about _Sam_! I have absolute faith that he'll figure something out, but what I _am_ worried about is the _time _it might take for this problem to get solved! God only knows how long it'll take to clear these rumors up, and what do we do in the meantime? 'Turn the other cheek' and allow _more_ property get damaged? And what about Ash?! I don't want him coming home in tears one day cause' some smart-mouthed kids kept ridiculing him over a bunch of lies!"

"Delia, I don't want that either!"

"And what if something _worse _happens, Ty?! Those jerks could've broken into the house if they wanted! I don't want to come home one day and find out Ash has been kidnapped or hurt! And I doubt _you'd_ want to come home one day and find the same, or if something were to happen to _me_, either! You know as well as I do that people can be so downright cruel and do _more _unimaginable things than just ruin a garden-"

"Del, that's enough!" Tylor barked, silencing her instantly. He was getting fed up with his wife's insistent words, even though she had every right to fear these what-ifs. Tylor, himself, did not want to come home and find his son hurt or missing, or find his wife injured or even raped, but... "Delia, you're getting ahead of yourself."

"Tylor, I'm _thinking ahead_ for once!" Delia countered firmly. "_You're _the one who's always yelling at me to plan for the future; 'take possible what-ifs into account.' Well, guess what, I _AM_, and I'm getting _scared_, Ty!" she admitted whole-heartedly as a few more tears starting to welling up inside her brown eyes. Delia never used to fear anything in Pallet Town; a simple, rural town, but after today...she almost felt like she had to fear for her _life_! "I'm not trying to run away from anything, believe me, but..." she paused, wiping away a few more tears to make herself as strong as possible. "...I'm...scared, Ty. I'm scared for us, and I'm scared for Ash."

Tylor's face softened slightly as he slowly approached his wife, Delia finally resting her head back onto his chest as she started to cry silently again. Stroking her long auburn hair, Tylor exhaled sympathetically. Similarly frightening thoughts had crossed his own mind several times during his earlier drive home. Frankly, Tylor was also nervous over such horrific possibilities, and he could not blame Delia for being frightened. Yet, at the same time, he could not help but feel like his wife's imagination was getting the best of her again. Tylor knew from experience; bogging one's self down by what-ifs was not always the best thing to do.

"Honey, I can't blame you for being scared," Tylor whispered, taking a few deep breaths as he could feel Delia starting to calm down again. "But Del, if we leave, regardless of our reasons, we _are _gonna' look guilty of _something_."

Sniffling, Delia nodded slowly, raising her face to look back up at Tylor again, noticing the same fear in his own brown eyes. It was pretty obvious to Delia that her husband feared similar incidents, but he did not want to admit it. Tylor was commonly the stubborn type when it came to serious matters. It took Delia a long time to coerce him to finally admit his feelings for her. It was not that Tylor was the overly serious and cold type. Quite the contrary, he was a very compassionate husband and father. Yet, when there was something Tylor wished to conceal, such as his feelings, he did his damnedest to hide them, even though Delia could always see through his façade.

"Then, can we just leave for a little while, honey?" Delia then compromised, causing Tylor to blink at her request. "I'm not saying we have to leave forever, but..." she hesitated, looking away for a moment. "I'd like to at least get Ash out of the situation. He's been taking things pretty hard."

Judging by last night's conversation in the boy's bedroom, something Tylor had yet to tell Delia about, what she said was true; Ash _was _taking matters pretty hard. Although Tylor did not like the idea of shunning the boy from this ordeal, he did not want to subject his son to any of the possible harm Delia feared. "What do you suggest, Del?" Tylor then asked in a relenting sigh.

Wiping her eyes, Delia cleared her throat. "I suggest we go live with my sister in Viridian City, at least for a few days. You can...stay here if you want, and I can go with Ash to Viridian."

The arrangement was not forever, and frankly, Tylor figured a change of scenery would do his wife and son some good. The odds of the rumors getting _completely_ rectified in the next few days were slim, anyway. Thus, while he, Sam, and any other supporters were working to correct the problem, at least Tylor would know Delia and Ash were safe and away from possible torment. Tylor knew he could handle himself alone, and perhaps he could handle the situation _better_ if he did not have to constantly worry about his wife and son's safety.

Tylor was warming up to the previously ludicrous idea, and Delia could tell. Honestly, she did not want to leave Pallet Town forever quite yet, either. Hugging her husband gently, Delia's lips curled into a small smile. "_Please_, Ty?" she cooingly begged. "Just for a few days?"

_It's just for a few days, _Tylor redundantly chanted to himself. _Not forever._

What other choice did he and his family have? Relenting, Tylor softened his face alongside a weak nod. "But you know, Ash _isn't_ going to like this," Tylor noted matter-of-factly. The father could only imagine how well, or most likely _poorly_, Ash would take this latest nugget of breaking news.

"I'll deal with him," Delia reassured, drawing her husband down slightly to plant a small grateful kiss on his cheek. "Thank you, Tylor."

Time seemed to have stopped during that brevity. Neither Delia nor Tylor really realized _what _happened until a moment _after_ it ended. When reality sank in, the spouses quickly parted, taking a few steps back from each other. Delia's face was particularly tinted in crimson, but Tylor's had a hint of it, too.

When was the last time they actually..._kissed_, never mind _share _a kiss?

Delia's kiss was impulsive. She had not kissed Tylor in a very long time, but when she just did it, she forgot all about the past. It did not feel like eons had passed since she last kissed him, either. The kiss just felt..._good_. Of course, afterwards, reality slammed right back into the both of them. Delia did not entirely regret kissing Tylor, and Tylor did not entirely regret being kissed by Delia. Alas, after so many years where hugs were the extent of their signs of affection...

"I'd...uh...better get to Sam's..." Tylor stuttered, clearly taken off guard by Delia's action. It was as though they never kissed before, but after so many years of arguments and little contact, her kiss felt so...strange, familiar, _good_....

...But the moment was still a tad awkward, too, especially considering the maddening rumors swarming around them. Now was certainly _not_ the time to be rekindling old flames, no matter how _good_ it felt. Bidding his wife another nervous goodbye, Tylor then headed back out to his car, thankful at least not another tire was slit. But right now, Tylor had other things to concern himself with; Delia's fears, Delia's proposal, Delia's kiss…

…So many things were running through his mind, and for once in his life, Tylor felt unsure of which problem to address first.

- - - - - - - - - -

"Honey, can I talk to you for a minute-?" Delia started, though the rest of her question was lost in a surprised giggle as she walked onto the front porch. From there, she instantly took note of her son as Ash quickly turned to her with his face, his shirt, his jeans...all covered in dirt.

Blinking in amused shock, Delia could not help but ask. "Oh honey, what happened to you?" she chuckled, stepping off the porch as Ash got to his feet by the ruined garden. Taking note of his messy appearance, the boy attempted to brush some of the dirt off of him. Ash did not clean himself up very well, though, and giggling, the boy scratched the back of his head, noticing some dirt also in his hair. Gardening was not exactly one of his specialties after all. Give Ash a Pokedex and a Pokeball, he was content as a Meowth with catnip, but give him a spade and a handful of seeds and he was as lost as a Psyduck. Mr. Mime had actually been guiding Ash through the re-gardening, but there was only so much the clown could do.

"I was just..." Ash admitted, sheepishly smiling as he looked from the garden back to his mother. "...Helping Mr. Mime fix the garden." Though, frankly, it looked like he was making an even _bigger_ mess of the demolished garden.

Delia knew her son did not retain any of her gardening abilities, and it was pretty obvious. But at the same time, it was also obvious how undeniably sweet Ash was behaving. The entire time Delia and Ash hid during the vandal incident, Delia kept reassuring him everything would be okay, and at the same time, Ash kept reassuring _her_, too. Come to think of it, he never cried or even _wanted _to hide for that matter. Ash was scared and nervous, but he had held himself together far better than Delia expected him to. Hell, she thought her little boy handled the situation better than _she _did!

_And now THIS, _Delia thought, smiling with a few grateful tears stinging her eyes. Carefully, she walked over to her dirt-covered son, who still looked a tad impish over his appearance. _Ty, our boy really is growing up...and still sweet as can be. _Not even caring if he was covered in dirt or not, Delia tightly hugged Ash. The mother lifted him just enough to plant a loving kiss on the boy's cheek, happy to hear a few giggles escape Ash's mouth. Delia could not have asked for a better cheer-up...and she certainly could not have asked for a better son. "Thank you, Ash," she smiled brightly, happy to feel the hug returned. "You're a sweetheart, and I love you so very much."

- - - - - - - - - -

An hour later, after Ash washed up and put on fresh clothes, Delia met him in the living room. Both sat down on the sofa and were the only occupants currently in the room. Mr. Mime was still busy refurbishing Delia's garden, and Tylor had yet to return from his visit to the Oaks. While lunch cooked in the kitchen oven, Delia found it the perfect opportunity to sit down with her son and explain her plans. When Ash had taken his shower, Delia went over the words in her head, making sure to be as direct and yet gentle as possible. Now if all she had to do was muster the courage to _tell_ Ash the truth.

"Honey, there's something I want to talk to you about," Delia started, maintaining a neutral expression for her now-clean son sitting next to her. She knew what she was about to say would hurt Ash, but the conversation was unavoidable. "You remember Aunt Beverly, don't you?"

Ash blinked, nodding a second later. "Sure." It had been a while since he last saw his aunt, and the most recent time was probably some holiday. Auntie Bev, as she liked to be called, was only a few years older than Delia, and was a Pokemon surgeon working at the Viridian City Pokemon Center. But unlike most obnoxious relatives or scary doctors, Auntie Bev was an exception to the rule, and Ash never minded her visits. Beverly never rambled about how much her nephew had grown since the last time she saw him, or do all that embarrassing 'relative stuff' like his grandparents. Instead, Auntie Bev almost preferred to act like a 'friend.' She enjoyed playing games with her nephew, and she owned some very cool Pokemon, too. In fact, prior to becoming a surgeon, Beverly was a popular Pokemon breeder in her youth, famed for raising a very beautiful, yet very powerful, Growlithe. So did Ash remember his aunt? Auntie Bev was not exactly the easiest person to forget.

Smiling, Delia chuckled, knowing what was going through her son's mind. Delia was the mature sister, whereas her big sister Beverly was more of a go-getter who liked to be young at heart, even in her late thirties. Not that Delia minded, but she often wondered if Beverly's frequent visits and babysitting of Ash had rubbed off some spunk onto the boy. Of course, Delia knew she, herself, used to look up to her older sister, and actually had a bit of a go-getting streak when she was younger, too. Perhaps spunk ran in the family.

"Anyway," Delia started, realizing she had yet to get down to the matter at hand. Nervously, she pulled a stray lock of her auburn hair behind an ear before proceeding. "How would you like seeing her again?"

That was another silly question; Ash liked his aunt, and he could hardly wait to see Beverly again. Plus, Auntie Bev promised to battle him the next time they met, and Ash could not _wait_ to face-off against her acclaimed Growlithe. "That'd be great, Mom!" Ash exclaimed excitedly, beaming "When is she coming?"

Delia bit her tongue slightly for a moment, her heart melting slightly at how innocent her son could be. "Actually, sweetie, I was planning on _us _visiting her."

Come to think of it, most of Auntie Bev's visits entailed her visiting Pallet Town. Perhaps if Ash and his family visited _her_ in Viridian City, he could see where she worked and what it was like being an actual Pokemon surgeon. Sure, Ash did not relish spending any _more_ time in _another _hospital, but this was different. "Okay. When are we going?"

Delia smiled gently, fiddling with her hands momentarily. Ash looked so excited, and while she knew her son liked her sister, Delia knew this visit to Beverly's was not going to be quite as jovial as Ash figured. "Well, I guess we could leave tomorrow, but honey..." she paused, placing a hand on his shoulder, causing Ash to blink by the sudden action. "...I want you to know that, we'll probably be staying with her for a while."

Ash so nearly jumped in excitement. He _loved_ the idea of practically spending a little vacation at Auntie Bev's home. He and Bev could battle like they promised and he could see her workplace. Heck, maybe he could even watch her operate on a Pokemon! Maybe not, but one thing was certain; Ash and his cool aunt could do everything that would usually never get done in one simple visit. This trip would be so much fun!

_But…wait a sec…_

But Ash never did jump with excitement, because his mother's words prevented him. As benevolent as the visit to Beverly's city sounded, something felt as though it struck Ash in the back. His family would be visiting Auntie Bev...in Viridian City...for a few days..._waitaminute,_ Ash thought as a sudden sense of dread filled him. Why was his family visiting Delia's sister in Viridian so _suddenly_? Besides, normal visits were only day-trips…they never spent more than an afternoon there! Why would they spend a few _days_?!

Ash was afraid of the answers. "Mom..." Ash started, his smile and joy already long gone and replaced with surging fear and nervousness. "...Are we..." he stuttered, swallowing as he averted his worried brown eyes at Delia. "...L-leaving Pallet?"

Biting her lip, Delia felt her son's body stiffen and tremble at once. Raising the hand she placed on his shoulder, Delia gently stroked Ash's black hair, giving him a small smile. "Oh baby, not forever," she reassured, not lying since she and Tylor agreed their stay in Viridian would be _temporary_. Delia only hoped such _would _remain temporary. Despite being the one to propose this brief departure from Pallet, Delia really did not want to leave her town forever, either. "We're just gonna' stay with Auntie Bev for a few days, maybe a week, while things settle down back here," she explained, hating the pained look on her son's face. Ash was upset…there was no doubt about that.

Ash could not _believe_ what he was hearing. Delia said the Ketchums would not leave Pallet Town forever, but... "But...why leave?" asked the boy, doing his best to try and remain as calm as possible. Unfortunately, the unthinkable was starting to unfold, and Ash could not help but be scared…far more scared than he was when the vandals wrecked Delia's garden.

"Because, your father and I are getting worried about these vandals," Delia spoke honestly, though knowing _she_ was moreworried about the vandals than Tylor. Still, Delia doubted her husband was entirely _content_ with the vandalism, too. "Your dad said somebody slashed one of his tires this morning."

"They _did_?!" Ash gasped, the color in his face starting to fade and his eyes widen in horror. The incident with the vandals in the garden was scary enough, but to think there was _another_ vandal episode against his family in the same morning. "Is…Dad okay?!"

"Oh, he's fine, sweetie," Delia reassured with a gentle hand combing through Ash's raven hair. "But...your dad and I agree that maybe spending some time away from Pallet will do us some good. It'll just be for a little while, anyway, kinda' like a vacation from Pallet Town, that's all."

Delia made it sound so simple. "A 'vacation...from Pallet Town'?" Ash muttered in disbelief. He had spent _plenty_ of 'vacations from Pallet Town' thanks to his Pokemon journey. When Ash occasionally visited his hometown, he never had intentions of going anywhere else until his visit was over. Meaning, when Ash took time off from his training, Ash planned on spending that vacation _entirely in Pallet_. He wanted to take a break from _training_...not from his _hometown_!

Still stroking his hair, Delia sighed softly as she saw the pained look across her son's features. Tylor was right; Ash was _not_ going to like this arrangement. "Oh, Ash, it's not going to be forever," she promised again, noticing a few tears gloss over her son's eyes. She knew Ash would react this way. "Believe me, honey, we're just doing this to get away from the people who may want to hurt us. We're not running away, but there's no point in staying here and being subjected to ridicule or possible danger, either." Delia refused to say that she did not want _Ash _to be subjected to it, in fear that the poor boy would once again blame himself for the whole matter. None of this was his fault.

"It's only for a little while, sweetie," Delia repeatedly reassured, sliding closer to Ash and wrapping an arm around his shoulders, feeling them still tremble slightly. "Just until your dad gets things rectified."

Ash blinked. "Dad's...not coming?"

"I don't really know yet," Delia admitted. "But...I wouldn't be surprised if he stays here to try and solve this." Matters would be very ironic, though; Delia and Ash leaving for Viridian while Tylor stayed in Pallet. Usually it was the other way around, and Delia hated how horribly ironic fate transpired.

"But...I can stay," Ash insisted with a certain nod. "Really, I don't mind all the..."

"Baby, nobody knows what might happen," Delia interrupted suddenly with a firm shake of her head. "I'm sure you're used to danger, but...this is something your father and I don't want to allow. People might try to hurt us or say some terrible things like before, and...it's not fair to _any _of us."

Delia was absolutely right, but Ash still could not help but feel like the Ketchums _were_ simply running away. It was frustrating not being able to help, too. Ash was rarely the type to leave problems unsolved, but he had to face facts, too. Something like this rumor fiasco was beyond his control; his incident with Gary proved that. Nobody would believe Ash, a boy who seemed to either be in denial or trying to protect his parent's innocence. Plus, there were also the vandals to consider. Ash was confident in his Pokemon's abilities, but Heavens only knew what those vandals armed themselves with, too. 'Pokemon versus Pokemon' fights were one thing, but 'Pokemon versus weapon' fights were another. Ash refused to subject his precious Pokemon to gunfire or knifepoint, just as Delia and Tylor refused to subject Ash to the same. As much as Ash disliked the idea of leaving Pallet, even temporary, he had to admit he understood his parents' worries.

But at the same time, it was pretty clear that Delia was scared, too; scared for herself and her family. When she and Ash hid in the bathroom during the vandal episode, she had been crying and praying out loud, practically holding onto her son for dear life. Ash doubted she feared for her _own_ life, but for _his _life. He could not remember the last time Delia looked so scared. Delia was a very strong woman; she kept a level head in situations and rarely backed down in conflict. Ash had inherited that strength from her, and was proud and grateful for such. However, the difference between her and him was that Delia was much older and had more time to mature and harden her heart. Ash was much younger and naive, and though he hated to admit it, he occasionally buckled in intense situations...momentarily, but nevertheless apparent. He was only a kid, after all, and even Ash got scared from time to time. Such was why he greatly respected his mother's endurance.

Yet, that morning, as he and his mother heard vandals outside trampling Delia's garden and hollering like maniacs, Ash's strong mother broke down. Obviously, she feared for the lives of her and her son, not for the sake of her garden or property. Ash had seen his mother cry several times during the past few days, and he hated it. Seeing Delia so frail made the boy desire to see the strong, brave mother he loved so much.

_If going to Viridian will make Mom feel better..._ Ash considered, hardly believing his own thoughts as they came involuntarily. _…Then perhaps we SHOULD go. _After all, his family's departure was not permanent, and it was obvious Delia really wanted to go. _After all...I'M not the only one hurting, here._ Ash did not want to be selfish.

"...Okay, Mom," Ash finally relented softly, trying his best not to sound as upset as he felt. This arrangement was for the best, and it was not forever, either. Ash just had to keep telling himself that, because such was all that kept him from giving into the sadness of the matter.

Smiling appreciatively, Delia brought Ash into another hug. "Thank you, honey," she replied whole-heartedly, her grateful voice enough to at least make Ash feel slightly better about his decision. "It won't be forever, Ash. I'm sure." _At least, I hope so._

Ash hoped so, too.

- - - - - - - - - -

_...Silence..._

The rest of that day proved to be another melancholic one for the Ketchums. Tylor returned before supper, ranting about how Sam had little luck in getting any more people to help. Tylor talked to his lawyer, Geoffrey, about the vandalism, but it brought more bad news. With no suspects, there was little legal action the Ketchums could do at the moment, until the police found a lead. At the very least, no more vandalism happened that day, though Tylor was not foolish enough to believe things would stay untouched forever.

_...Silence..._

The agreement was to leave tomorrow morning for Beverly's apartment in Viridian City. Delia and Ash would leave and Tylor would stay, since the man was also expecting the tree removers, along with umpteen _other_ responsibilities. Beverly said her sister and nephew could stay for as long they wished, but Delia planned staying between five to seven days. Tylor agreed to visit regularly to forward phone call messages and mail. He also had to check-in with his office, since Tylor figured his boss was going to be pretty pissed at Tylor's extended absence. Tylor only hoped the rumors never reached Viridian, because if they did, for all Tylor knew, he could have lost _his _job, too.

_...Silence..._

Delia and Ash spent the rest of the afternoon packing in their rooms, a chore that was usually pain-free, but this time undeniably agonizing, especially for Ash. He held himself together to agree to Delia's proposal, but as the afternoon passed, and more belongings were packed, Ash could not help but feel the reality of the matter start to overwhelm him. With more items being packed, more bittersweet tears filled his eyes. Delia said their stay in Viridian City would not be forever, and he trusted her word, but Ash simply could not shake a horrible feeling that he might _never_ return to his beloved hometown again.

_...Silence..._

At the very least, Ash heard from his friends again, since both Brock and Misty called that afternoon. Of course, little was spoken during the conversations. Brock had not called before, due to the obvious of Misty informing him about her previous call with Ash. Misty, herself, had been hesitant to call Ash again, in fear her second phone call would be a repeat of the last one.

But this call was slightly different; Ash held himself together perfectly when he told his friends not to worry again. Naturally, he refused to tell his friends what was _really_ going on. Misty and Brock still had ample time to spend with their families, and that meant Ash could _not_ tell them about his trip to Viridian, either. If Misty and Brock knew his family was going to Viridian City out of the clear blue, the red flags would go off. Ash just told his friends that if he was a little late in returning calls, not to worry, in order to cover-up the fact that he would not be home to immediately answer the phone. He made up some cockamamie excuse about his family's answering machine was acting screwy lately. Of course, Misty was kind enough to note that the answering machine was not the _only _thing...or person...acting screwy lately, but Ash bypassed her remark. But frankly, he missed Misty's little comments, and he missed her and Brock, but...Ash did not want to start that again. He had enough on his plate concerning the trip to Viridian, now.

_...Silence..._

Dinner was completely silent, with the exception of softly clinking silverware and glasses. Neither Tylor, Delia, nor Ash said anything during a seemingly typical family dinner that resembled a family's last meal. Alas, it _did_ feel like their last meal...their last meal together, and last meal in Pallet Town.

_...Silence..._

Tylor did not want them to leave, neither did Ash, and for the first time all day, Delia suddenly felt the same. It had not hit her until long after all her clothes were packed and after her and her son were just a few hours away from leaving. It was not until then that everything finally hit Delia. _She_ was the one who wanted this departure, _she_ was the one who proposed to leave tomorrow, but...did she _really _want to leave? Did Delia just propose her family's departure from Pallet just because she was simply scared out of her wits by the vandal attack? Did she originally want to leave...just because of the heat of the moment?

_...Silence..._

The answers were obvious. _Of course_ Delia proposed their leave due to a brief moment of weakness and fear. Delia was still afraid of possible harm, but, at the same time, she would be lying if she said she _really wanted_ to leave. Pallet Town was where she and Tylor met, married, and had Ash. She never wanted to leave those memories behind just because of lies. However, at the same time, Delia felt torn between her fears of safety, and fears of perhaps never returning to Pallet. She had a horrible sinking feeling, too, that once she and Ash left tomorrow morning, there was a good chance they would not come back. And if, by chance, they _did_ return to Pallet Town, they may leave soon afterwards.

_...Silence..._

She was the one who suggested this idea, but Delia was completely regretting ever doing so. To say she really _wanted _to leave was as ludicrous as the rumors! These vile lies were what seemed to be _kicking_ her and her family out of Pallet Town, and it was simply not fair. It felt like the Ketchums were not welcomed anymore in the place they made so many memories. It was simply _not_ fair.

_...Silence..._

Then there was a clank of silverware and a pushing of a chair as Tylor suddenly got to his feet and rushed to his wife's seat. Before he reached her, Delia buried her face into her hands and began to sob, at first softly but gradually louder. Tylor wasted no time in embracing her from behind, resting Delia's head against his chest as she wept. The spouses said nothing, as words were not needed to understand her reasons for crying. The problem was pretty obvious.

She and Ash were to leave tomorrow morning at eight o'clock, the same time Misty and Brock left the other morning. It was ironic how everything seemed to be playing out. The irony of everything that happened was starting to get very sickening, and above all, agonizing.

They were to leave tomorrow morning..._leave _Pallet Town, _but not forever. _Sadly, for some reason, "not forever" lost its comfort throughout the day. Gradually, all the suppressed pain and tears that had accumulated throughout the afternoon finally started taking their toll on Ash. Just like his mother, Ash gave into his own sorrow over the hopeless matter. As if the rumors and being unable to stop them were not bad enough, he and Delia were to _leave_ Pallet Town. It was not forever, but they _were_ leaving, nevertheless, and Ash did not want such. He did not want to leave…not like this.

Tylor bit his lip as he heard soft sobs from his son's direction, merging with those from Delia. The situation was so unfair, and there was no excuse for _any_ of this unneeded pain. _No excuse._

It was all the evidence Tylor needed to realize that he _had_ to bring an end to this hell soon, before the unthinkable _did _happen.

**Next Episode: "When You Can't Go Home"**

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**A/N**: Aiselne's depressing little drama never ceases, eh? What'll happen now that Ash and Delia are leaving? Will Tylor be able to clarify this ordeal before the 'unthinkable' _really_ happens? (Why the hell does Aiselne always tease us with these stupid rhetorical questions?!) Hehe, until next week.

Oh, and yes, Beverly is 100% fictional. I honestly don't know if Delia has a sibling, since it's never been confirmed in the series. But seeing as the writers of the anime have a fetish about keeping character's pasts secretive (such as, say…_the true identity of Ash's father_), Delia's relatives are anyone's guess. Bev's not a pivotal character in this story, anyway, though a little more light will be shed on her next time.

Lastly…on the lighter note…Ash's little garden scene is one of my favorite moments in this entire fanfic. Too cute.

Never hesitate to post a review.


	8. When You Can't Go Home

**COPYRIGHT NOTE**: I don't own _Pokemon / Pocket Monsters_.

**COMMENTS**: Aiselne's a wicked person for kicking Sato-Chan out of his hometown, isn't she? Ah, well, all the more drama for me, and for you faithful readers, too. A little more light will be shed on the rumors/vandalism, too, along with a bit more enlightenment regarding the _previous_ rumors Tylor faced a few years ago.

Speaking of faithful readers, I haven't thanked you guys recently, have I? So now I'll take this opportunity to once again thank all of you wonderful readers/reviewers. It means so much to me that my stories have intrigued others, and I hope you continue to enjoy this fanfic.

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NOTHING BUT LIES

_**Aiselne Phoenix**_

**Chapter 8: "When You Can't Go Home"**

"Hey, Del," Beverly greeted sympathetically, tearing open her apartment door and wrapping her arms around her younger sister as Delia dropped her luggage to return the hug. It felt like eons since the sisters last saw each other, and Delia only wished she could have seen Beverly under better circumstances. Of course, she wished she and Tylor could have gotten along under better circumstances, too, but fate did not seem so kind.

Smiling brightly, Beverly parted from Delia and stood beside her. Both sisters looked almost like mirror images, albeit Bev was an inch taller and her auburn hair was trimmed shorter. To complete the ensemble, Beverly wore a forest green blouse and casual navy slacks, contrasting her younger sister's preference of skirts. Bev was obviously the more tomboyish sister.

Meanwhile, Aunt Beverly took note of the young man standing next to her sister. Bev refused to be the type of relative who gushed on and on about how much her nephew grew since she last saw him. Yet, Beverly would be lying if she said she was not a bit surprised by how much older Ash looked. He was still young, but it had been probably around a year since she last saw him. "Hey you," the aunt teased, kneeling down and enveloping the boy into a firm hug. "Happy you get to spend a few days with your Auntie Bev?"

In all honesty, Ash _was _happy to see her. He liked Aunt Beverly very much, but he, too, wished the circumstances were better. In any other situation, the boy would have been just as excited as Bev, but he was not. The cloud of rumors seemed to be hanging over him and Delia since they left Pallet Town that morning, voiding any form of joy in the moment.

But nevertheless, Ash knew it was best to try and remain as content as possible. Delia told him a few days ago that the Ketchums _should_ remain optimistic. Keeping his chin up was hard, almost agonizing, but Ash figured it was better than staying depressed. "Yeah," Ash finally agreed softly, with a pleasant nod. Ash certainly did not want to be rude to Beverly, since she was providing him and his mother hospitality. Still, Ash kept the conversation short with his aunt, for once in his life not feeling very talkative for obvious reasons.

Naturally, Beverly understood Ash's downcast behavior, but she, like her little sister, still wanted to try and cheer up the boy. As she and Ash finally parted from their hug, Bev giggled, whilst playfully ruffling his black hair. It was only then that she also happened to notice the adorable yellow creature that hopped onto her nephew's shoulder.

"Oh, and who is this?" Beverly rhetorically chimed cheerfully, patting Pikachu's soft golden fur, the Pokemon "cha"ing at her gentle touch. There was no doubt; Beverly knew how to handle Pokemon with the utmost care. Being a Pokemon surgeon, Beverly certainly knew what a Pikachu looked like, but this was the first time she got to meet Ash's famed electric mouse.

"That's my baby's first Pokemon," Delia smiled proudly, Ash rolling his eyes at his mother's embarrassing word choice. Auntie Bev simply giggled as she delicately caressed one of Pikachu's red electric cheeks, knowing just how to rub the sacks without coercing electric discharge. Beverly never got to see any of Ash's Pokemon during her past visits to Pallet Town, though she heard _plenty_ about the famous Pikachu.

"You're so cute," Beverly complimented, Pikachu smiling cutely at the praise. "And I can tell you've been raised _very _well," she added, directing the compliment to Ash. Beverly knew when she saw a poorly raised Pokemon, and she knew when she saw a well-raised one, too, and this Pikachu was raised _very _well.

_Ash takes after his father all right,_ Beverly thought. Honestly, she liked Tylor, but Beverly was not too nuts about his constant absence from Pallet during recent years. Yet, Bev knew Tylor used to be an exceptional trainer, and obviously, his son was taking right after him. Pikachu's presence reminded Beverly of the old days when Delia and Tylor were still dating, and how Delia would come home gushing about how fascinated she was with Tylor's skills. Tylor's careful handling and respect for Pokemon was the first thing that caught Delia's eye with Tylor, or at least, that was what Beverly always thought.

But Pikachu's presence also reminded Beverly of one _other_ thing, something that almost knocked the wind out of her. "Oh my God!" Bev gasped as a hand flew to her mouth, the gesture causing Delia and Ash to exchange strange looks.

"Bev, what's wrong?" Delia asked out of concern, placing a hand on her big sister's nearest shoulder.

"Oh, Del…I'm sorry," Beverly suddenly apologized, though seeming to direct her apology more so to _Ash_ for some reason. Almost afraid to look the boy in the eye, Beverly hesitantly took a moment before turning to Ash with a guilty look on her face. "...I totally forgot," she explained, biting her lip shamefully. "The...apartment complex doesn't allow Pokemon."

_That _felt like a blow to the back of the head, and now Ash was the one who felt like the wind was knocked out of him. "They..._don't_?" he stammered, exchanging a saddened look with Pikachu while the mouse's ears drooped by Beverly's note. Both the boy and his Pokemon felt like somebody just drove another stake through their hearts, alongside the umpteen _other_ stakes credited to the rumors back in Pallet.

Delia could not stand seeing that pained expression on her son's face anymore. Poor Ash had gone through more than enough suffering this week, and yet, no matter what, something _worse_ always seemed to befall him. It simply was not fair. "The complex _used _to allow Pokemon," Delia recalled, remembering how Beverly used to live with her popular Growlithe. Delia also knew that various _other_ tenants used to have Pokemon as pets here. Common pets were more domestic creatures like Pidgeys, Persians, Houndour, and other moderately sized cat, dog, and bird Pokemon that could comfortably fit in a small apartment. "What about Growlithe?"

"Too many residents complained about the noise Pokemon made," Beverly explained, kicking herself for forgetting something so obvious. "A lot of them had Houndour and Growlithe for guard dogs, and many barked at night. People complained, so the landlords banned _all _Pokemon," she regretted to conclude. "Now I have to keep poor Growlithe either in its Pokeball all the time, or leave it at the Pokemon Center." She, too, hated the new 'no Pokemon allowed' rule, but she certainly could not afford to move right now. Beverly's apartment was the best, and closest, home she could find near her job. The complex was only a few blocks away from the Viridian City Pokemon Center, and the apartment's convenience was what kept her there. Plus, when she first rented the apartment, the owners never frowned upon Pokemon, either, until now.

It was not fair, and it was especially unfair how Ash looked like his own aunt just punched him in the gut. Beverly wanted to ensure that Delia and Ash's trip to Viridian would be a pleasant experience, and yet Bev felt like she just greedily took away the last shred of pleasantness Ash had. This 'no Pokemon allowed' rule was the _last_ thing Ash needed at the moment. "Oh, I'm sorry, Ash," Beverly sincerely apologized. "But...it'll be fine if you keep Pikachu in its Pokeball. The landlords won't mind that." That was what Beverly had to do with _her _Pokemon while she was at home.

Ash bit his lip. "But...I don't usually keep Pikachu in its Pokeball. I...don't even have it with me." Frankly, he did not have _any_ other Pokemon with him, either. Ash left the rest at Professor Oak's lab, all six Pokeballs and all, while he and his mother were in Viridian. Ash never thought bringing Pikachu was going to be a problem, and he did not bother bringing its Pokeball since Pikachu never needed it. But apparently, such _was _going to be a problem. "But...Pikachu's not noisy," the boy swore while the electric Pokemon nodded a "chu" to back up Ash's statement. "Pikachu's not any trouble, believe me."

Beverly exchanged a look with Delia, the little sister nodding positively to let Beverly know Ash spoke the truth. Pikachu was not some loud Houndour that would be howling at the moon at one o'clock in the morning, and even Beverly figured such. Alas, "Oh, I'm sure Pikachu would behave," Beverly nodded with a gentle smile, fully believing what Ash and Delia said. "But...those _are _the rules..." Try as she might, Bev was only a tenant, and held no power to change the regulations set by the landlords. Frankly, Beverly abhorred the new 'no Pokemon allowed' rule, too, and cursed the complex' owners every time she had to return her precious Growlithe to its Pokeball before coming home. Bev felt like she was cruelly punishing her Pokemon for no damn reason!

Beverly's younger sister was thinking identically. _What next?_ Delia thought, running a hand through her bangs and releasing another sigh. _Thank God I decided to leave Mimie with the professor again. _"I don't want to get you in trouble, Bev," Delia admitted, understanding the reality of this depressing matter. Delia's family was going through _enough _trouble, and she did not want to drag down her sister, either.

Ash, on the other hand, did _not_ like how his mother was talking. He understood how powerless Auntie Bev was in this matter, "But...what're we gonna' do then?" he asked, exchanging looks with both women. "I don't have Pikachu's Pokeball."

Beverly knelt down to Ash's level and placed a hand back on his shoulder. "Tell ya' what," she started kindly, fleetingly attempting to keep the kid's spirits up as much as possible. The last thing Beverly intended on doing was putting Ash through any _more_ pain than he was already enduring. "I'll take Pikachu to the Pokemon Center. They've got a holding area where trainers can keep Pokemon there for extended amounts of time. Since I work at the Center, I can check on Pikachu everyday. You can visit, too."

Her proposal sounded good, well...as good as it _could _sound, but Ash still did not like it. He did not like the idea of locking Pikachu in some 'holding area' for a week, even if he and Auntie Bev would visit everyday. Plus, Pikachu was Ash's only _real_ companion right now, and he could not bear loosing his _last _partner.

Alas, what else could he do? Given the options, Ash wanted to at least make sure Pikachu was comfortable, which he doubted a 'holding area' would provide such. "Can't we just...transport Pikachu to Professor Oaks?" Ash timidly asked. He did not like the idea of parting with Pikachu. Sadly, if it had to be done, he preferred the mouse be in a better location than some holding area probably comprised of a bunch of kennels that locked Pokemon inside. Ash would be damned if he locked _any_ of his Pokemon in cages, never mind doing it to Pikachu.

But Beverly sighed unfortunately. "We can't transport it without its Pokeball," she admitted, knowing the situation was going from bad to worse. "But, I _could _try and contact Professor Oak and have him transport Pikachu's Pokeball here. _Then_ we could transport Pikachu back to him."

Considering the circumstances, Bev's idea was the most plausible solution. "I can make that call for you, Bev," Delia offered, knowing Sam's number by heart and figuring it would be easier for her to call him, rather than Beverly. Beverly really did not know Professor Oak very well, but she _was _a big fan of his. Something was telling Delia if her sister got on the phone with '_The _Samuel Oak,' the topic of Pikachu would be quickly forgotten.

"Sounds' like a plan," Beverly nodded, turning back to Ash and massaging his shoulder. "Is that okay with you, kiddo?"

_No...it's not okay..._ Ash wanted to yell, though knowing there was not point in doing so. Still, there was _nothing_ 'okay' about the matter at all! Pikachu was not going to be a problem. Hell, half the time, the mouse was so quiet and content one could hardly realize it was around! There was _no_ reason for Pikachu to leave, other than that stupid rule. For all anyone else knew, Ash _could_ probably keep Pikachu with him at all times, perhaps hidden in his backpack or in Bev's closets. The neighbors would most likely never notice the Pokemon. But then again, how was trapping Pikachu in a backpack or closet for seven days any _better_ than locking it in a kennel?! At least at Professor Oak's wide-open ranch Pikachu could play with Ash's other Pokemon and be _somewhat_ happy.

And like Delia, Ash did not want to get his aunt in trouble, either. It was not Auntie Bev's fault the apartment complex prohibited Pokemon. She was just trying to help Ash and his mother, and was even kind enough to offer them free room and board during such a hellish time. Of course, _nothing _is really 'free,' and apparently, following a few rules was the price to pay to live at Beverly's home. Turning to Pikachu, Ash patted the Pokemon's head, noticing Pikachu looked just as disappointed and hurt as Ash felt. "Okay with you, buddy?"

It was no more okay with Pikachu than it was with Ash, but like it or not, the transaction had to be done. "Chu," _Yes._ Pikachu nodded, putting on a small reassuring smile for its trainer. Pikachu knew Misty and Brock's momentary leave was hard on Pikapi, and this was not going to be _any_ easier.

Unfortunately, if this decision was okay with Pikachu, Ash knew he was going to have to be content, too. If Pikachu could get transferred to Professor Oak's, at least it would be with all its friends, so the Pokemon would not be alone. Unfortunately, Ash could not say the same about himself, but...he did not want to be selfish. Nodding more so in defeat, Ash finally agreed, and relented. "Okay," he muttered, looking back to Beverly as she gave him another apologetic smile. She really did not _have_ to apologize for anything, since this problem was not her fault. Still, there was no doubt in Ash's mind that if the decision were up to Beverly, Pikachu _would_ stay. Sadly, the choice was _not_ hers to make

"Why don't I go call the professor then?" Delia finally continued, figuring to get this inevitable matter done as soon as possible. Nodding to her sister, Beverly rose back up and finally led Delia and Ash into her small apartment. After setting down their bags of luggage in the parlor, Beverly then guided Delia to the kitchen phone to call Sam.

Meanwhile, Beverly stayed in the kitchen to fetch some drinks for her guests, and eavesdrop on her baby sister's chat with _The_ Professor Oak. Ash, on the other hand, remained in the living room, sitting on the sofa with Pikachu curled up tightly in his arms. _Nothing_, even the smallest thing, seemed to be going right lately. He and Delia had only been in Viridian City for little over a half hour and _already _things were going to hell. Was this new fiasco with Pikachu a premonition of _more_ bad things to come?

"What next?" Ash muttered rhetorically under his breath. Pikachu was the only one who barely heard the question as its trainer hugged the mouse tightly, once again burying his face into the Pokemon's soft yellow fur. Ash did not want Pikachu to leave, he did not want to hear bad news anymore, he did not want to cry anymore, and he did not want to be in Viridian City anymore.

Most importantly, Ash did not want his rhetorical question to be answered, either.

- - - - - - - - - -

The old rotted oak tree was finally gone; one less thing Tylor had to worry about now, though it was one less issue out of a thousand _other _problems. It was after noontime once the tree removers finished the job, hauling the tree's remains away and leaving what seemed like a large gap in the backyard. The matter was somewhat bittersweet, actually. When Tylor was younger, and when the tree was healthy, he used to spend hours up in that tree, gazing in the sky or at the stars if it was late enough. Nowadays, Tylor never had any time of his hands to simply gaze at the sky or stars. It was bittersweet how as the older one got, the harder it was to appreciate the simple things he used to love in his youth.

Tylor exhaled, grinning at how 'old' he sounded. Now certainly was not the time to be going through a mid-life crisis, especially when Tylor was only thirty-five years old! He still had a mile-long list of other problems to rectify before anything else. Right now, he had to focus on the present matter inside Sam's house. "So, how do we find these vandals?" Tylor asked, looking back across the table to Professor Oak and Tylor's lawyer Geoffrey.

Geoffrey decided to go first, fixing his tie due to the heat of the summer day. The overwhelming events of late did not calm his anxieties, either, though he professionally kept his opinions to himself. "Ty, we need suspects," he spoke plainly, figuring Geoffrey must have said that about a thousand times that afternoon.

"So how do we find suspects?" Tylor bluntly proceeded. "What did the investigators say?" he asked, recalling the small group of detectives Geoffrey brought in to survey the damage in Delia's garden.

"Well, the vandals were definitely teenagers," Geoffrey confirmed, though Tylor knew that already since his wife said so. Still, it was nice to get a _legal_ confirmation. "There were also animal prints, probably of Houndoom, and the way some of the plants ripped out appear to have similar bite marks."

"Okay, how many teenagers have Houndoom in town?"

"Ty, a _lot _of people have Houndoom in town," Sam noted, recalling the number of Pallet trainers he could count off the top of his head that had Houndoom. "And just because these teens had a Houndoom with them during the incident doesn't necessarily mean they _own _the Pokemon. We can't suspect _any _teen with a Houndoom. Plus, we don't even know if the teens _live _in Pallet, either. I mean, one would think they'd live here, but there's no guarantee."

"It shouldn't matter whether they live here or not," Tylor figured matter-of-factly. "Residents or not, they still damaged our property should still be penalized. I don't care if the brats were just passing through town; that's _no_ excuse for vandalism."

"True, but my point is that if they _were_ passing through town it could be a _lot_ harder tracking them down, Ty," Samuel added, causing Tylor to grunt in agitation. "For your sake, I certainly _hope_ the vandals are still in town, though for all we know they could be in _Johto_ by now."

"Terrific," groaned Tylor, before running his hand through his ebony hair. Sam was absolutely right. Of course, even if the vandals _were_ in Johto, Tylor would still track them down. After all, Tylor worked at the Indigo Plateau, and if he _really_ wanted to he _could_ get some influential people involved with his case. Unfortunately, the trick was winning over the approval of those influential people, whilst being dubbed a child abuser. Just like Carl's business, the Pokemon League was _very_ family-orientated, especially since they encouraged kids as young as ten years old to become trainers. The League had their own "family" image to maintain, and it would _not_ look very good if one of their clients were a child abuser. Such was why Tylor had to be _very_ careful regarding his job and the rumors. According to the latest phone call to his office, Tylor _still_ had his job, but the question was for how long? No doubt, if his office caught wind of these child abuse rumors, the Pokemon League would fire him faster than the speed of light!

Exhaling in exasperation, Tylor bit his lip before proceeding with the next topic of conversation. "Sam…" he started, folding his hands before him on the table. "You talked with a lot of people, right? Exactly _how _many people would you say know about these rumors?"

"What do _you _think, Ty?" Sam replied in a sigh, Tylor needing nothing more from him. The answer was pretty obvious; _everyone_ knew, though judging by the fact that Tylor still had his job in Viridian, 'everyone' in _Pallet Town_ knew, but _only_ in Pallet. _Let's hope it stays that way,_ Tylor could only pray.

"Do we at _least _have a ballpark idea on who the hell _started _these rumors?" Tylor dared to ask, his eyes darting from Sam to Geoffrey.

"Well, according to the people I've talked to..." Sam started, folding his arms across his chest. "...Many, but not _all_, of the people _said _they heard the rumors either from, or by, someone associated with an organization, such as the elementary school PTA or the women's guild."

Professor Oak's last two words rang a few bells in Tylor's mind. "Carl said his wife, Paula, heard about the rumors at the women's guild, too."

"Yeah, Mary Anne said the same."

"Do you think somebody in the women's guild's behind this?" Geoffrey asked, deeply pondering the possibilities, himself. "What about that school PTA you talked about?"

"More things seem to be pointing to the women's guild," Tylor noticed, not wanting to get ahead of himself, but also feeling like the puzzle was finally coming together, too. He had to admit, the women's guild _was _notorious for gossip. If somebody wanted to spread a rumor, the guild was the perfect place to start.

"Ty, tell me something," Geoffrey started, lifting his briefcase from under the table to unload a few legal documents onto the men's table. Leafing through a few files, Geoffrey asked, "Who did you say started those rumors from a few years ago?" Naturally, Tylor blinked at the sudden question. "I mean, the rumors about you cheating on Delia." Interestingly, that specific matter had gotten settled before Geoffrey was called for any real legal action.

Tylor sighed, sitting back in his chair as he thought back at that other lovely rumor fiasco. "We never really found _one _person, per se. It started out shortly after the Parkinsons moved next door. They were an older couple, raised the 'old-fashioned way' and believed a man worked during the day while his wife stayed home to cook, clean, and watch the baby. However, they also believed the working man was obligated to come home _every_ night to take care of his wife and child.

"Thus, when I didn't come home every night, never mind stay in _another city_ for an extended period of time, the Parkinsons believed I was hiding something unfaithful. They never understood my job, and got the wrong impression about it, thinking I was having an affair in Viridian and covering it up with my so-called 'job.' Technically, Mrs. Parkinson was a friend of Delia's and was only looking out for her. Del and I weren't newlyweds by then, but the Parkinsons _still_ believed we were 'young and foolish.' Mrs. Parkinson didn't want Delia to have any regrets. Unfortunately, the rumor started circulating into too many people's ears, and well...you take it from there."

"So it was the Parkinsons who were behind it?"

"Not entirely. Mrs. Parkinson was probably the first person to _think _that way, and she probably brought it up in conversations, and the idea just mushroomed afterwards. Things didn't get out of hand because she did something as bold as announcing the rumors everywhere she went. But essentially, Mrs. Parkinson _was _behind it, but she was _not_ responsible for it getting out of control, either. To the woman's credit, her 'old fashioned' virtues encouraged her and her husband to own-up to their mistake, and she _did_ thoroughly explain herself to neighbors before the matter escalated like this one. Del never wanted to hold a grudge against her, since Mrs. Parkinson _was_ honestly looking out for Delia's safety, but still…"

"Perhaps the Parkinsons are behind _this _rumor, too," Geoffrey considered. "I mean, they'd be pretty stupid to do it a second time, but one never knows."

"Maybe, but the Parkinsons moved away last year, so I think it's safe to assume they're innocent, unless they're spreading rumors all the way from the _Johto _Region. One never knows, but I certainly hope this matter isn't _that _big."

"I agree," Sam nodded whole-heartedly. "Besides, I heard Mrs. Parkinson passed away shortly after they moved, and I see no reason for Mr. Parkinson to concoct some rumor about you way out in Mahogany Town. That's just preposterous."

"So is the rest of this ordeal," Tylor snorted, but he agreed with Sam 100%. The odds of Mr. Parkinson being behind the recent rumors were just plain stupid. The old man was in his seventies, and probably had _much_ better things to concern himself with than pulling asinine rumors in a region he did not even _live_ in anymore.

"What about that 'Paula' you were talking about?" Geoffrey wondered, Tylor perking at the question.

"Yeah, 'what about her'," Tylor replied sarcastically.

"_Tylor_," Sam warned softly, knowing Tylor was not too thrilled with Mrs. Sampson at the moment, for understandable reasons.

"Sorry, Sam," Tylor said, though not too apologetically. Just thinking about Paula made Tylor's blood boil to dangerous levels. "But that broad was the reason Del got fired. I mean, Carl's no hero for bowing down to his wife's order, but he's not the one who _wanted _Del to leave, either."

"Is there some sort of dispute with this Paula woman?" Geoffrey innocently asked, not too familiar with Paula Sampson, himself. He head about her off and on, since Paula was popular around town and it was somewhat hard _not_ to hear about her. Still, Geoffrey did not know Paula Sampson _personally_.

"Paula and Delia never got along," Tylor explained, not sounding too thrilled about the woman, either. "Don't ask me why, but Paula's attitude probably has something to do with it. Either way, she's always been a real bitch to my wife, and now is no different."

"Could she be the one behind these rumors?"

"_Tch_, I wouldn't be the _least_ bit surprised."

"Ty, don't start accusing people until we're absolutely certain," Sam warned, knowing Tylor would love nothing better than to get back at Mrs. Sampson for firing Delia. Frankly, Sam did not particularly care for the arrogant woman, either, but Professor Oak preferred to _avoid _people of Paula's caliber.

"Oh, I'm not accusing her, Sam," Tylor reassured matter-of-factly, though with a sarcastic glint in his voice. "I'm just saying I wouldn't be surprised if she _is _behind this, that's all. That woman's always been on Delia's back for years about _some _stupid thing. Comparing gardens, comparing cars..._everything's_ a damn competition in Paula's eyes, though she _really _pissed _me _off when she started comparing her kids to Ash...or more likely vice versa..."

"Tylor, let's get back to _why _we're here," Sam advised, knowing where this rant would lead to if he did not stop Tylor. "If you want, I can get Mary Anne to talk to all the ladies in the women's guild. If the person behind these rumors _is _in the guild, I'm sure Mary Anne should be able to find out."

Tylor nodded. "I'm sure, but what about the vandalism? Suspects or no suspects, there's got to be _something _we can do."

"I can make a list of all the Houndoom in town and their owners. There's quite a few, believe it or not, but we could always ask around, too."

"Just don't make it seem like you're _accusing _them," Geoffrey warned, speaking from a legal standpoint. "It would be wiser if you covered this with Officer Jenny before you start knocking on people's doors and pointing fingers, Ty. You don't need people suing you for false accusations."

"Yeah, as if what _I'm _being accused of doesn't qualify as 'false accusations'," Tylor muttered sarcastically, shaking his head. Ranting was not going to solve this problem, and he did not want to take out his anger on Sam and Geoffrey like he did with Carl yesterday. "Well, at least we've got a direction to go in, not that we're _that _much further."

"The only fortunate part of this matter is that this town is small," Sam noted, whilst Geoffrey nodded in agreement. "Finding someone or something out never takes too much trouble, or too much time."

"Yeah, but at the same time, it's easy for rumors to spread like wildfire."

"True, but if the person behind the rumors is still in town, I doubt it'll be much longer before we find him or her."

"And what'll we do if they're _not _in town for some reason?"

The room fell silent, Tylor watching as Sam and Geoffrey exchanged looks. The answer to his question was pretty obvious. Chuckling sarcastically, Tylor snorted, "I'm _screwed_. You can say it."

"Ty, let's not give up quite yet..." Sam reassured.

"Oh, I'm not giving up, but let's face it, what _are _the odds of this ending? We have no real suspects, no concrete leads...we're running _blind_, all while some assholes are making one fine joke out of all this!"

"Ty, I know you're upset, but we'll figure something-"

"Sam, I want to be just as optimistic as you are. But what's _royally _pissing me off is while we're running around like blind little _Hardy Boys_, those jerks are getting away with _everything_! And the worst part is, this is killing my _family_! Delia and Ash had to _leave town_ because of this bullshit, and for all we know, matters may not be back to normal when they _return_! And then what; we leave Pallet for _good_?!"

"_Tylor_! Don't be _ridiculous_!"

"I said about the _same_ thing when Delia first asked to leave, but it isn't sounding so ridiculous anymore, Sam! It _really _isn't! I'm getting a little fed up with these damn rumors! This isn't the first time someone's pulled this, and how would _you _feel if your hometown kept shitting on you?! Believe me, I don't want to leave Pallet Town anymore than Delia, Ash, or you do, Sam, but I'll be Goddamned if I'm going to subject my family to this ridicule _ever AGAIN_!"

- - - - - - - - - -

His meeting at Sam's house did not go quite as well as Tylor originally envisioned. Hell, the whole _day _did not turn out overly well. About the only 'good' thing that happened today was how the old oak tree had been removed without injury. Afterwards was the meeting with Sam and Geoffrey, followed by Tylor constantly apologizing for losing his temper. Thank God Sam and Geoffrey understood, because Tylor did not need to lose any _more_ supporters. And then after all that, when Tylor figured he could just go home and relax alone in his house...

...He came home to a nice broken window.

"Give me a friggen break," Tylor cursed, checking the fist-sized whole in one of the sliding glass patio doors of his living room. No, the vandals could not break a _regular _window; they _had _to break one of the expensive sliding-glass patio doors! _This just gets better and better!_

Inside, glass was all over the bottom of the door, the shards glowing orange via the sunset outside the broken window. At the very least, the entire door did not shatter, so Tylor could at least patch up the small hole for the night and deal with it in the morning. He called Sam, Geoffrey, and the police a second later, informing them of the current vandalism. Sam swore he and Geoffrey would be over as soon as possible, Geoffrey telling Tylor _not_ to tamper with the scene until the police arrived.

One hour later, after the investigation was complete, the clean up began. Sam was benevolent enough to remain at the Ketchum house to help Tylor sweep and patch up the hole. During the chore, both men remained silent, the only sounds in the room coming from the clanking metal dust pan and brush scooping up clinking glass, and an occasional sigh from Sam or Tylor.

For Professor Oak, he found these circumstances so ridiculously unfair for Tylor and his family. The Ketchums were some of the kindest people Sam ever knew. Tylor was an old friend and pupil of Sam's, whom Samuel considered like another son. Whenever Samuel needed help in some way, from fixing a leaky pipe to needing someone to talk to, Tylor would never hesitate to assist. Delia was practically a ray of sunshine, always cheerful and sending baskets of fresh vegetables and baked goods to Sam's doorstep. And Ash, dear God, Sam considered him like another grandson, since that rambunctious little boy had been tumbling around Sam's Pokemon ranch since he could walk! Like Tylor in his youth, Professor Oak mentored Ash, too, and Samuel enjoyed watching the current Ketchum generation grow before his eyes. That boy was the perfect culmination of Tylor and Delia's personalities, possessing Tylor's adoration of Pokemon and Delia's unparalleled benevolence for every living creature. Ash was practically living proof of the kindness in Tylor and Delia's hearts.

There was _no_ way in Heaven, Hell, or anything in between, that Tylor and Delia Ketchum were guilty of abusing their child. More importantly, there was _no _excuse for these rumors, either.

"Tylor, I swear to God..." Sam swore as he and Tylor finished sweeping all the glass shards into a dustpan, sliding the shards into a trash bin. "...I'll do my best to try and end all of this."

Tylor smiled appreciatively. "I know, Sam. It's just...frustrating," he admitted, looking back down at the floor to make sure no more shards were around, though Tylor planned on vacuuming in the morning just to be safe. The rock that was chucked through the window had been taken for possible fingerprints, and the glass was all picked up, so all that remained was...

"Hey wait a minute," the black-haired man blinked, grabbing Sam's attention as they peered downwards the corner of the living room, where a small crumpled paper was in the corner. Delia always kept the room spick and span, so Tylor did not recall that paper being there before.

Approaching the paper, Tylor knelt down. He and Sam still wore working gloves to protect their hands from the glass, so even if the paper _were _evidence it would not be tampered. Sam joined him, leaning over the Tylor's shoulder to read what the crumpled paper said:

_You vile people!_

_You disgusting people!_

_Get out! Get out!_

_You're not welcomed here anymore!_

_Get out before THIS happens to YOU!_

Attached was a random magazine picture of a man and woman, cut conveniently where their heads were supposed to be.

"My God," Sam gasped, wide-eyed and swallowing. "This is getting to be all-out threats."

"No shit," Tylor muttered angrily, entrusting the paper to Sam before Tylor shredded it up into a million pieces due to his fury. For all they knew, that horrid paper _could_ be valuable evidence.

"But Ty..." Sam started, carefully examining the paper. "...This is _JUST _what we need! The perfect evidence! Somebody _hand wrote_ this message, and the photo's from a magazine somebody cut out," he added, noticing the edges of the picture where scissors must have been used. The cut was not perfect, but it was straight enough for someone to have _held the paper steady_, else the cut would have been sloppier. And if somebody held the paper steady, there was a fifty-fifty chance the paper might have _fingerprints_! "This could _easily_ be traced."

"You'd better believe we're gonna' trace it, Sam," Tylor swore with a determined nod, getting to his feet and glaring right back at the patched-up hole in his patio door. "We're gonna' trace these bastards, prosecute them, clear my family's name, and when all is said and done..." Tylor paused, his enraged brown eyes averting back to the horrid paper in Sam's hands.

"...We're getting the hell out of here."

Sam dropped the paper at Tylor's proclamation.

- - - - - - - - - -

"Oh dear God..." Delia gasped, a hand flying to her mouth as she clutched the phone tightly that night in Beverly's apartment. It had been the first time since her visit to Viridian City that she spoke with her husband, though Delia wished their conversation was a bit more uplifting. Unfortunately, after hearing about this latest act of vandalism back in Pallet Town, it was hard for Delia to enjoy the phone call. "Tylor, you're okay, right?"

_"Of course I'm okay, Del,"_ Tylor reassured, keeping his voice content to settle Delia's fears. _"It happened while I was gone. There's no other damage, either."_

"Thank God," Delia sighed in relief. She was not happy to know her house had been vandalized again, but as long as her husband was safe, Delia counted her blessings. Windows could always be fixed. "Have the police figured out who's behind this?"

_"We're getting close, but I'm not going to discuss it over the phone, okay honey? It's getting late, anyway. So, how's Bev?"_

Delia did not entirely like her husband's change in subject, but she knew it was probably best not to talk about such things over the phone. God only knew who might be listening in, though Delia did not like to think that paranoid way. Still, Ash was in the next room, after all, and sleeping at the moment. Delia did not want him to wake up to the harmonious sounds of his mother screaming due to more horrors in Pallet. Plus, Beverly was relaxing in her bedroom, and the apartment walls were rather thin. Delia did not want to disturb her sister anymore than necessary. "Oh, Bev's fine. She's the perfect host, par usual."

_"I'm sure. She always is," _Tylor chuckled matter-of-factly. _"And how's Ash?"_

Delia bit her lip, looking away for a moment as she could peer into the living room, where her son was asleep on Beverly's couch. The sight easily pulled a few heartstrings in Delia as she noticed her little boy curled up under a thin blanket, almost unconsciously trying to take shelter from the outside world. Delia could not blame him in the least. "Well...I won't lie to you, Ty," Delia admitted in a despondent sigh. "He's been better."

A similar sigh emanated from Tylor's end. _"I'm not surprised."_

"Me neither. But...Bev forgot how her apartment complex doesn't allow Pokemon."

_"They don't allow Pokemon?! Since WHEN?!"_

"Since residents complained of how much noise they make. The landlords now prohibit Pokemon in the apartments."

_"Dammit. So…what about Pikachu?"_

"I had to call Sam and ask him to transport its Pokeball to the Viridian Pokemon Center. We had to bring Pikachu to the Center and transport it back to Pallet."

_"Sam never mentioned anything about that,"_ Tylor replied, rather astonished by this news. Of course, with everything _else_ going on in Pallet Town, it was understandable that Samuel never got around to telling Tylor about Pikachu. _"So...how's Ash doing after all that?"_

Biting her lip again, Delia gazed back at her sleeping boy, looking as exhausted as ever. "As good as he can be, I suppose. He was upset, and he's been quiet for most of the day. Tell me, did Misty or Brock leave any messages while we've been gone?"

_"None that I'm aware of, but didn't they call the other day?"_

"Yeah, but...I was just hoping I could've given Ash a little good news."

_"I can't blame you, Del. The news I just told you doesn't exactly count."_

Delia could not help but agree. She was getting genuinely concerned now; a _third _act of vandalism in two days. Events were starting to get _very_ scary, especially due to that note Tylor told her about. The woman still felt shivers down her spin when she comprehended that part. "Honey...what about that threat?"

_"The police will trace it right to its source," _Tylor replied confidently. _"Whoever the hell did it wasn't too swift to hand-write the message. I was already told detectives found fingerprints, too. Now it's just a matter of matching the script and the prints to the culprit."_ It was just as Samuel said before; that threat was the perfect evidence the Ketchums needed. In a twisted sort of way, that rock through his patio window could very well be the godsend that would break this case once and for all.

"Do you really think they'll be able to find a match?"

_"That's what detectives are paid to do. I just hope they can match it soon. We don't need anymore of this vandalism."_

Delia agreed. She did not want Tylor calling her one night, telling her their house was graffitied or burnt down, or _worse_...getting a call from the hospital saying Tylor was attacked or hurt in the process. "_This_ was why I wanted to leave, Ty," Delia honestly muttered, not necessarily to anyone.

_"I know, honey."_

"I just hope, once we _do_ catch these people, it'll all end."

_"Well...that's something I've been meaning to talk to you about, Del."_

Delia blinked, absently drawing the phone closer to her ear. "What do you mean?"

There was a rather long pause on the other end, one that was agonizing for Delia. She did not like it whenever Tylor was silent, for obvious reasons. What did her husband mean by his recent line? And _why_ was she getting that horrible sinking feeling all over again, the same one from last night when she poured her heart out over her kitchen table?

_"Delia...I've been seriously thinking about moving."_

**Next Episode: "The Unthinkable"**

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**A/N**: Beverly was a fun character, albeit she's minor (frankly, I found her to be a lighter breath of fresh air in this otherwise serious story). But who cares about her?! Gack! Now _Tylor_ wants to leave, too?! And Pikachu's gone?! Hasn't Aiselne tortured Sato-Chan enough?! One of these days I'll write an Ash story that doesn't torture that poor kid…someday…maybe…hehe.

I'm sorry, but Ash drama is so scrumptious for me. To be honest, I don't do it to be "mean," but to encourage character maturity. _Very_ soon, you're gonna' see that this painful series of events _will_ develop Ash's character. And let's face it; we've seen Ash mature under dire situations before, and this story will be no different. So while I'm _sure_ you readers have dubbed me a sadistic (insert favorite derogatory adjective here), rest assured I don't drag my favorite characters through hell for no reason.

So now, the bastards behind the rumors are slowly coming to the light. Yet, we _still_ don't have any names. More is ahead next week. Feel free to make some educated guesses. I love hearing reader comments/suggestions. I've said it to a couple of reviewers; so many of you have great ideas! I hope you put them to good use in your own fanfiction, especially if I don't. I certainly hope I've inspired some young and talented authors ("_young_ and talented"?! Jeez, I sound _old_!). Anyway, I _love_ hearing from you faithful readers!


	9. The Unthinkable

**COPYRIGHT NOTE**: I don't own _Pokemon / Pocket Monsters_.

**COMMENTS**: Aiselne is cruel, Aiselne is evil (you _know_ that's what you're thinking. Hehe). Here, Aiselne claims she loves Sato-Chan, yet she keeps drilling _more_ stakes into his poor little heart! Aiya. (For the record, Ash isn't the _only_ boy I terrorize [frankly, Ash has it _easy_ right now compared to what I'm up to in my Xenosaga fanfics]). Aiselne is a mean person, neh? Ah well, onto Chapter 9! Let's see what hell Aiselne can drag the Ketchums through _this_ week.

Lastly, I'm mind-boggled at how many people specifically reviewed the last chapter. I know I've said this before, but it really _does_ means so much to me that people take the opportunity to send feedback. I _do_ take your comments into consideration, and greatly appreciate them. Thank you so much!

And now on with the show! ^_^

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NOTHING BUT LIES

_**Aiselne Phoenix**_

**Chapter 9: "The Unthinkable"**

Ash and Delia stayed in Viridian City for a surprising eight days, extending over the "week" Delia originally planned on visiting Aunt Beverly. All the while, Ash knew _something _was seriously bothering his mother. Of course, he was well aware something was bothering her _beforehand_; the obvious rumors. Yet, ever since their second day in Viridian, Ash noticed something _else _seemed to be irking Delia. She was even more quiet and subdued than before, and Ash often heard her crying softly in the bathroom: the only place in Beverly's apartment where Delia could be alone. Even when Beverly asked her little sister what was wrong, Delia avoided the conversation, as she did with Ash.

_Why_ was Delia so upset?

Last night was the hardest, though. Delia had woken up around midnight, and went crying in the kitchen. Unfortunately, Bev's kitchen was right by the living room, where Ash had been sleeping until he heard his mother. Even then, Delia _still _never told her son what was wrong. Even when Ash begged her with all his heart, Delia _never _confessed. Something was eating away at the distressed woman, and her constant enigmatic suffering agonized Ash, too. He hated to see his mother so distraught, and he _especially_ hated being prevented from helping her. Why did Delia was refuse to tell him what was troubling her? It was as if Delia was harboring some terrible secret, and she was doing everything in her power to prevent Ash from unearthing it.

Something was telling Ash, his mother's current suffering was _not_ due to the rumors, too.

Something _else_ was haunting Delia.

Unable to stand much more of Delia's painful stubbornness, Ash finally decided to get a change in scenery in the late morning of his eighth day in Viridian. He had no idea when he and his mom would return to Pallet Town anymore. Auntie Bev was busy today, working overtime operating on a Machoke's arm. Normally, Ash would have been curious about the surgery, but he had _enough_ experiences with broken arms to be an _expert _about them, probably even for Pokemon. Ash did not think he was missing much.

He decided to venture into the Viridian Forest, content to get away from the busy city life and enjoy a more tranquil atmosphere. It was not like it was Ash's first time in the forest, either. Unlike his first sabbatical in the maze-like woods, Ash now effortlessly knew his way around the buggy Viridian Forest.

Passing by a bunch of wild Caterpie perched on an old rotten log, Ash was instantly reminded of his travels with Misty and Brock. He called his friends back on his third and sixth days in Viridian, but the calls were not much different from the previous ones. Ash insistently avoided of the obvious subject, all the while pretending to be calling from Pallet Town. To Ash's credit, he held himself together perfectly. Still, resilient or not, Ash noticed himself falter a little when Brock innocently mentioned how the breeder learned a new Pokechow recipe he figured Pikachu would enjoy. The conversation ended shortly thereafter. Thankfully, Ash remained composed long enough to end the talk without worrying Brock, like he did to Misty a while back. Of course, once Ash hung up the phone, his composure was a different story, but at least his friends would not know that.

_Pikachu…_

Pikachu's unexpected departure was a bit more breaking than Ash originally anticipated. Perhaps it was because Pikachu's leaving was not planned like Misty and Brock's. Or, perhaps it was because no matter what _human _friends came and went from the group, Pikachu _always_ remained by Ash's side. Ash never realized how frequently Pikachu was with him, until now. The scenario perfectly alluded to the adage "we never know what we have until it's gone."

Just when Ash had been gradually recuperating from Misty and Brock's departure, fate _had_ to tear Pikachu away! The familiar loneliness from a few days ago easily started creeping back inside Ash, eating away whatever strength he had left. Despite his nighttime talk with Tylor over a week ago, more than ever, it was hard for Ash _not_ to feel lonely. Misty and Brock, Ash's best friends, were still in Cerulean City and Pewter City. All of a sudden, Pikachu was gone. Tylor usually stayed in Pallet and rarely visited, and Delia was too depressed and upset to be much company.

Fortunately, Auntie Bev was always a great companion. She played card and board games with Ash whenever possible, and even took him shopping one afternoon to buy some new clothes and a few "cheer-up toys." Ash had _long_ since gotten over the phase where toys could heal his wounds, but he appreciated Bev's efforts nonetheless. Aunt Beverly was only trying to help, and there was only so much she could do, too. She was a surgeon, and some days, like today, Beverly had to work long hours on intensive surgeries. Thus, she could not always spend time with her poor nephew. Surgery was Bev's job, so her absence could not be helped, and Ash did not fault her.

But the undeniable loneliness could not be helped, either. Until now, Ash did not realize how he never was truly 'alone' before. Prior to his journey, he had Delia, along with various childhood friends in Pallet Town, whom Ash wondered would still _be _his friends after this rumor fiasco. During his journey, he had Misty, Brock, and all of his Pokemon. So in all honesty, Ash was never _technically _alone before.

Alas, now Ash _was_ alone. All of his Pokemon, Pikachu included, were back in Pallet, patiently awaiting their master's return, _if_ Ash ever returned. Misty and Brock were in their hometowns with their families. Auntie Bev was working, Tylor usually stayed in Pallet, and Delia now always wanted to be alone. Nobody was really around to be with Ash, anymore. True, Ash did not want to sound like some attention-craving brat, but during a situation like this, he wanted and needed _some _form of companionship. Hell, at this rate, Ash would have been overjoyed if Team Rocket jumped out of the bushes and recited their motto. Ash needed _somebody_, _anybody _to help take away this heart-wrenching loneliness.

But nobody came...nobody was around...nobody would come...

...Ash _was _alone.

- - - - - - - - - -

By mid-afternoon, after eight long days (which felt like eight long _years_), Tylor finally visited his wife and son at Beverly's Viridian City apartment. By then, Ash returned to Bev's apartment for lunch, and just as he and Delia finished cleaning the dishes, the doorbell rang. Ash could not have been happier to see his dad again, and apparently, Tylor felt identical. The second Ash saw his dad at Auntie Bev's doorstep, the boy leapt into Tylor's arms, overjoyed that his father finally visited. Ash's eight days in Viridian were not exactly textbook examples of 'torture,' but they certainly were not definitions of 'enjoyable,' either.

But Ash would have been lying if he said Tylor's sudden visit was all fun and games. Tylor was busy in Pallet Town, rectifying the rumor ordeal, so Ash understood his father's lack of visits. Therefore, if Tylor _was _taking time off of the hectic case, there were only two possible reasons: either the rumors were solved, or they were not. A few other options arose from the latter. If the problem was _not_ rectified, _could _it get rectified? And then there was also the other horrifying possibility of mov-

…Ash did not want to think so fatalistically, anymore. God knew he had been acting a shadow of his former optimistic self this past week. He did not want to behave so downtrodden anymore, especially when his family was back together in Beverly's apartment. While Delia's sister was still busy at the Pokemon Center, the Ketchum family of three sat down in the parlor. Momentarily in silence, Ash and Delia sat together on the leather sofa, while Tylor spoke from an adjacent, matching recliner.

"The detectives found out who did the vandalism," Tylor started, his report causing Delia and Ash to perk at his statement with wide eyes. "More specifically, they found out who did _all three_ of the acts of vandalism, too. My car, the garden, and the patio window…they were _all_ instigated by the same people."

"_Who_?" Ash could not help but blurt out, anxious to discover the jerks that dared vandalize his property. He had no intentions of retaliation..._yet_...but the boy still wanted to know who was responsible.

"Technically, it was a group of four teenagers, between the ages of seventeen and nineteen," Tylor answered verbatim to the detective's report. "They were three males and one female, all belonging to the Rogers family."

Ash blinked, curiously exchanging a look with Delia as she gasped softly. "Who're the Rogers?" he asked innocently, the name not ringing any bells. Ash was never very good with remembering names of the countless people he met along his journey. Still, when it came to Pallet Town neighbors, his memory was pretty accurate, yet these 'Rogers' were new to his recollection.

"They moved to Pallet a few months ago," Delia recalled, briefly shaking her head. "They live on the other side of town, so we don't know them very well. I heard their sons were a tad rowdy and had some problems with Officer Jenny, but..." she trailed, biting her lip. "My God, I didn't think they'd do _this_. I met the wife a few times, and she seemed nice."

"Well, either way, their kids _are_ responsible," Tylor concluded, not sounding too pleased, but understandably disgusted with the matter. "But to the brats' credit, they _did_ confess when the detectives questioned them. The sons' foot and fingerprints matched those left in the garden and on the threat's note. The daughter's only involvement was _writing_ the note, not that it makes her any less responsible. At any rate, the kids confessed and we haven't gotten any damage since. The parents have agreed to pay for the damages, so I guess that settles _one_ problem." _One of MANY problems, unfortunately._

"But...why'd they even do that?!" Ash felt compelled to ask. Yes, he was happy the vandalism was over, but Ash still did not understand why the Rogers' kids felt the need to damage the Ketchum's home, especially since the families barely communicated. "If they just moved here, why'd they get involved? They probably don't even _know _us!"

"Exactly, Ash," Tylor nodded whole-heartedly before folding his arms across his chest. "The Rogers _didn't _know us, and their foolish kids overreacted to the rumors. The family originally came from a rough neighborhood in some big, overpopulated city. They're used to defending themselves, or their 'turf', hence why they own Houndoom. If there's any chance of another family being violent, they try and ward off the...'criminals'."

Noticing his son nearly protest the 'criminals' statement, Tylor raised a hand to keep Ash quiet and allow his father to finish. "I know what you're gonna' say; 'we're innocent,' I know," he reassured, calming Ash before the boy unintentionally riled up again. "And thank God, now the Rogers believe we're innocent. The doctors came through with the medical records, all proving how Ash's accidents _were _indeed accidents. There is _no proof whatsoever_ that suggests abuse. We flashed _that_ in the Rogers' faces, along with a prosecution charge, and they agreed to back off. They're gonna' pay for all the damage and repairs, and their kids have already submitted a written apology, more so for legal protection than anything else." Tylor could not help but stifle a snort after finishing that sentence.

Meanwhile, Delia exhaled softly as small relieved smile pulled her lips. She needed to hear such reassuring words from Tylor, to prove that their rumor nightmare was nearing its end. Pulling a stray strand of her auburn hair behind an ear, Delia then let the same hand fall to her chest in a grateful gesture. "Well, thank God that's over now."

"Yeah...the _vandalism's _over, for the time being," Tylor countered, causing his wife and son to blink as a small chills ran down their spines. He hated to crush their first bit of confidence since the rumors flew, but Tylor did not want Delia and Ash to celebrate just yet. "...But we're still not quite out of thewoods, yet. A member of child services came knocking on our door yesterday."

_That_ bit of news _horrified_ Ash and Delia. The moment Tylor noticed his wife and son's matching brown eyes widen with unprecedented fear, the man lifted another gentle hand to halt their thoughts. "Don't worry," Tylor reassured, keeping his tone and expression gentle to not frighten his family anymore than necessary. "I told you; I had the medical reports, and there's _no_ proof supporting child abuse. Geoffrey and I had a _long_ discussion with the worker and managed to discredit the rumors. We're gonna' be 'under surveillance' for a little while, but pending any major accidents Ash isn't going anywhere."

At that moment, Delia doubted Tylor could have said anything more beautiful. "Oh thank God," choked Delia as a watery smile came to her lips. The mother eagerly wrapped her arms around her son, burying her face into Ash's black hair as a few grateful tears trickled from Delia's eyes. Feeling Ash return her hug, Delia sniffled a couple of times before affectionately kissing his forehead. "Thank God." She could not thank Him enough for not taking away Delia and Tylor's precious little boy. Ash meant the world to his parents, and they could not bear to lose him, especially due to a bunch of absurd lies. "Thank God."

Ash was thinking the same. The thought of child services never once crossed his mind throughout this maddening affair. He was not ignorant or stupid to the possibility, either; it just never occurred to Ash that he might be taken away from his family. He had enough worries littering his mind at the moment, so it was probably a blessing that 'child services' was not one of those worries. Even _more_ of a blessing was the fact that he would _not_ be taken away. Ash loved his mother and father dearly. Plus, Ash wanted to ride-out this storm with his parents. He was sick of being sent to his room or sheltered from the horrors of reality. Come hell or high water, Ash was going to _stay with his parents_.

Tylor was just as relieved and grateful as Delia. The man nearly had heart failure the second he saw child services on his doorstep. The risk of losing Ash was unbearable, and Tylor refused to allow his son to be taken away, at least without a fight. He and Geoffrey made their case, defended the Ketchum's innocence, and dodged another bullet. Tylor was not happy to know his family would undergo periodic visits and inspections for the next few months, but it was better than never seeing Ash again. Tylor, himself, could not stop thanking God.

However, despite the glorious news, arguably the best news since the rumors arose, Tylor still knew celebrations were not in order yet. "I hate to ruin the moment," Tylor openly confessed, causing Delia and Ash to part and look back at the black-haired man. Truly, Tylor would have loved to remain blissfully enraptured by the happiness of Ash's staying. Unfortunately, as Tylor said, the Ketchums were still not entirely 'out of the woods.' "But we really can't celebrate just yet. I told you the Rogers were responsible for the _vandalism_, but they turned out innocent in regards to who _started_ the rumors."

"They..._didn't _start them?" Ash asked, a bit incredulously. It was a tad hard to believe the people behind the vandalism were not the same people behind the rumors. "But they did the vandalism."

"True, but that doesn't necessarily mean they instigated the rumors, Ash," corrected Tylor, reiterating what Geoffrey told him shortly after the investigation. "It turns out the Rogers _didn't _start the rumors. They went through a polygraph test and everything turned out clean. While we were there, _I_ got tested, myself. We've got another piece of evidence discrediting the rumors, too." Tylor was not taking any _more_ chances. He would gladly undergo a million tests to prove he and his wife were innocent. Granted, Delia had yet to be tested, but getting Tylor's results was better than nothing.

Pleased to know the cards were finally in the Ketchums' favor, Delia mouthed a quick "thank you" to Tylor for undergoing the polygraph test. She kicked herself for not considering the test sooner, but now Delia had _every_ intention of undergoing her own 'lie detector test' at first opportunity. Delia had nothing to hide, after all, and would gladly take a test to prove such.

Still, regarding the _Rogers'_ test, "But, can't those tests be...cheated?" Delia wondered. She was not an expert about polygraph tests, but she could have sworn she heard they were not 100% foolproof. Besides, if the Rogers were _not _behind the rumors, then who the hell _was_ behind them?

Wondering the same, Tylor shook his head and shrugged. "The tests _can _be cheated, but it's _very _uncommon. The odds of a bunch of teenagers fooling a polygraph test are slim. The parents underwent the test, too, and proven innocent regarding the rumors spreading. Besides, even if the Rogers _were_ guilty, why would they admit to the vandalism and _not _the rumors?" True, the Rogers were not too bright to foolishly vandalize property based on false accusations, but Tylor doubted they were dumb enough to admit to one crime and not another.

"Besides, their story checked through," added Tylor, exhaling a breath before feeling his lips curl into a suspicious frown. "The wife heard about the rumor at a meeting at the women's guild." _That Goddamn women's guild._

"So then..._who's _behind this?" Ash demanded, praying that his dad would finally give him the answer. After all, Tylor returned with news about who did the vandalism, so maybe Tylor knew who started the rumors, too.

But the disgusted look on Tylor's face proved otherwise. Sighing, Tylor ran another hand through his raven hair. "We still don't know yet, but we _are _getting a few leads," he noted, looking over more so at Delia's direction. "For starters, we've narrowed the sources down to the women's guild. There's _no_ doubt anymore that the rumors started there. Mrs. Rogers, Mary Anne Oak, and Paula Sampson all admitted _separately _that they heard about the rumors at a women's guild meeting. Everyone else we've asked has said they've heard the rumors from someone associated either _with_ the guild, or with _someone in _the guild."

Delia bit her lip, nodding as Tylor's words made sense. The women's guild was the perfect place to start a rumor, as it was notorious for gossip. That was the very reason Delia was never fond of the group. She was a short-term member a few years back, but after hearing all the dirty gossip that circulated in the guild, Delia quit. Having the overbearing Paula Sampson in the guild did not encourage Delia's membership, either. "But the question still remains; _who _in the guild is responsible for starting this?"

"That's what we're trying to figure out," Tylor shrugged. "But so far, nobody's come clean. Either someone, or some people, are hiding the truth, or the rumor might have mushroomed through the grapevine." _Like last time,_ Tylor fretted.

Ash blinked. "And what if it _did_...'mushroom'?" he asked skittishly, noticing Tylor tense slightly at his son's little question. Ash was not very knowledgeable about legal affairs. Still, the boy believed that there _had_ to be a solution to every problem.

"If it _did_ mushroom..." Tylor started, not at all sounding too thrilled with that possibility. "...Then there's not necessarily one single person responsible for this, and that's going to make things harder. It'll be tougher to track down the multiple people and harder to take legal actions if needed. There's no doubt: there had to be _someone _who _started_ all this. Unfortunately, that person could have said something very innocent, and others misconstrued it and made it worse. That's what happened the last time; Mrs. Parkinson was the first person to bring it up, but it got progressively worse through the grapevine. If this is a similar case, it's harder to single-out one person responsible."

"But...legal actions can still be made if needed, right?" Delia assumed.

"Oh sure," Tylor reassured matter-of-factly. "'Mushrooming rumors' or not, we can still press charges. I'm not about to let people get away with these rumors, either. The glitch is it's ten times harder in such cases. I'd be a lot easier if just _one _person was responsible," admitted Tylor, a small grin appearing on his face. "...And _especially _if they confessed."

That would have been nice. Sadly, after over a week of playing Sherlock with Sam and Geoffrey, it was obvious that whoever started the rumor was _not_ going to come forward, at least without a fight. The culprit had yet to be found, and while the original vandals were stopped, that did not guarantee the ordeal was over by any stretch of the imagination. As long as the perpetrator behind the rumors was still free, the rumors would still hang over Pallet Town. Plus, just because the _Rogers_ stopped vandalizing their property, such did not mean _others_ might not pull anything. Until the culprit of the rumor was found, prosecuted, and ended the rumor, the Ketchums' fight was far from over.

Plus, even once the rumors _were_ cleared, that did not guarantee peace. When the "mistress rumor" ordeal concluded, Tylor foolhardily believed his family would never be bothered again. Yet, lo and behold, the "abuse rumor" arose years down the road. Who was to say once the "abuse rumor" ended, years later some other rumor might not start. Tylor was already stupid enough to allow rumors to plague his family a _second_ time. _"Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me,"_ Tylor scolded himself. He would be damned if a "third" time occurred.

Which was why Tylor averted his brown eyes at Delia's. "Del?" he asked softly, trying to muster enough courage and gentleness in his voice. "Have you...thought about what I said on the phone?"

Delia blinked, feeling another blow from reality upon Tylor's request. She no sooner bit her lip and looked away for a moment. _Of course _Delia had thought about what Tylor said on the phone several days ago. It was all she thought about throughout the week! Every day, every night...that dreadful topic resurfaced in her mind like a bad song she was unable to get out of her head. Sadly, it was a subject Delia knew she could not avoid, either. Like it or not, it _had _to be addressed.

"Thought about..._what_?" Delia suddenly heard from besides her, coercing her to look back down at her son. There Ash was, sitting next to her on the sofa, looking up at her with his confused brown eyes. Once again, Delia felt a few tears sting her eyes as she saw her boy, knowing well enough that Ash had been very concerned over her behavior lately. _He's so sweet..._ Delia knew. _There's no reason for Ash to be going through this pain, but..._

"Honey..." Delia started, figuring it best to be the parent to explain first. She knew Tylor would have no problem telling Ash the news, but Delia feared her husband might be too frank. Tylor preferred to be as straightforward as possible, exemplified in his 'talk' with Carl Sampson last week, and his very demeanor whilst reporting the latest news of Pallet to his wife and son. Honestly, Delia liked Tylor's honesty, but she also knew that sometimes, such as now, being blunt was not always the _gentlest_ way to break "breaking" news. Ash was bound to be upset, and Delia was not about to baby him, but she did not want to rub salt in his wounds, either.

"Ash, your father and I have been...talking," Delia continued, swallowing to compose herself. She was not happy about this arrangement, neither was Tylor, and neither would be Ash. Still, it was no excuse for Delia not to remain strong in front of her son. "And, we think, it would be best...to, perhaps...get away from the situation in Pallet."

Ash blinked, a sudden sense of pure dread washing over him, while he felt like his heart dropped to his stomach. "But...that's why we came _here_, right?" he stammered, knowing he asked a stupid question, but figuring it was worth a shot. Ash was not _that_ stupid to be ignorant to what his mother just implied. Yet, there was _no _way _this _was happening...there had to be _another _explanation. Ash did not want to believe anything else.

Delia bit her lip again, this time much harder as she stole a glance back at Tylor across the room. He looked just as upset over the matter as she felt, yet still put on an encouraging look for Delia to continue. At the same time, the husband also maintained an "I'll take over if you want" look. As kind as Tylor's silent offer was, Delia felt it better for _her_ be the bearer of bad news. She had been unintentionally torturing Ash all week with her secrecy and depression. Delia owed it to her son to finally explain the reason for her actions.

"Ash, you're right, that _is _why we came here, but..." Delia paused, feeling another sudden lump form in her throat as she saw the obvious terror start displaying itself on Ash's young face. It was pretty obvious Ash knew what was coming, and Delia hated confirming the truth he so direly feared. "...Your dad and I think it might be best...if we...went somewhere _else_. If we..." she stopped again, the truth being just as painful for her as it was for the rest of the Ketchums. "...M-moved."

_Moved._

There it was, the dreaded word Ash never wanted to hear. He knew what Delia meant. She and Tylor wanted to _move_..._away from Pallet Town_. They wished to pack up their memories and leave the place Ash was born in, the place he grew up in, the place that meant so much to him. Sure, Ash was not the least bit pleased with the rumor incident, but he still did not want to _leave _Pallet _forever_! Hell, short of some crazy mass murderer, a viral outbreak, or natural disaster befalling Pallet, Ash had _no _intentions of moving away from his hometown. Pallet Town was where he wanted to remain all his life. In Pallet, Ash wanted to go through the 'marriage and raise a family' scenario, just like Tylor and Delia. What was so wrong with that? Ash Ketchum spoke about his hometown with the utmost pride. He was never ashamed to admit he was from there, and never intended on turning his back on Pallet, either. It was true that, in some ways, residents of Pallet had turned their back on the Ketchums. However, was this situation _really_ bad enough to execute such drastic measures? Ash hated the rumors just as much as Delia and Tylor, but he still did not want to leave forever! _Mom…PROMISED we wouldn't leave forever!_

"M-Mom..." Ash stuttered, partially out of nervousness and partially because his voice started to slightly quiver. "...Y-you're kidding, right?" he asked, or more so _hoped_, averting gazes to both of his parents, praying Tylor and Delia would change their minds. "We're...not just going to..." Ash paused, swallowing hard as his breath started to quicken alongside his heart rate. "..._L-leave _Pallet Town, are we?"

Tylor felt it best to step in, knowing Delia was not going to react very well to their son's pleas. Delia was strong and strict, but Tylor knew she was suffering just as much. Tylor he had no intentions of putting his wife through any _more_ agony. "Ash, I've been talking with Professor Oak all week about this. He knows some very nice little towns in Johto, very similar to Pallet, and-"

"'_Similar to Pallet'_?!" Ash incredulously snapped, his dad's words quite easily the most preposterous idea the boy _ever _heard. "What the hell is _that _supposed to mean?!"

"Ash, watch your language!" Delia warned in a low, yet scolding voice, briefly shushing her angry son. Delia did not like the situation anymore than Ash did, but she _certainly _did not like her son's word choice, either. "Don't you _dare _speak to your father that way."

Biting his lip, Ash looked away for a moment, knowing his welling temper was not helping the situation. "But..._'similar _to Pallet'?!" he asked again, much more calmly and directed at Tylor. "Dad...how can you _say _that?" Ash asked, almost pleadingly as he felt a few tears sting his eyes at the thought. A place "similar to Pallet"...there was no such thing! Sure, there were _plenty_ of other rural towns in the world, each probably with their share of towering mountains and green plains.

However, in regards to the _history_ Ash and his family shared in his hometown, there was _no such thing_ as a place "similar to Pallet." There were plenty of towns and cities Ash and his friends visited that held special memories. Yet, _none_ of those places held as many dear memories as Pallet Town. No _other_ place held the memories Ash, Tylor, and Delia made there. Birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, and picnics...those milestones were unlike all the others. Such memories could never be destroyed, and some town "similar to Pallet" certainly could _never replace_ them! If there was one thing Ash learned during his hellish vacation, he learned that, between Misty, Brock, and Pikachu's departures, and _this_, Ash finally admitted he _was_ the sentimental type. The boy revered almost _every_ blessing in his life. Parting with cherished things, people, Pokemon, and places sounded even _more_ preposterous, and hurt even _worse_, than the rumors. "Is this...because of the rumors? You said the vandalism stopped!"

"Ash, I never said the vandalism 'stopped' indefinitely," Tylor corrected bluntly, though not sounding very pleased with the topic, either. "The _people responsible _for the vandalism were stopped _for the time being_. That doesn't guarantee _others _won't pull anything, either, such as _friends_ of the Rogers seeking retaliation. I'm not saying we should prepare for more damage, but I'm also not saying we should relax, either," cautioned Tylor, exchanging a quick look with Delia before he proceeded to the even _deeper_ topic of conversation.

"And, as far as the rumors are concerned...we don't know how long this is going to take. We're closer than before and we've got more evidence, but we're not _finished_, either. Even if we _do_ find who's responsible and clear our name, that doesn't guarantee that everything will go back to normal," Tylor admitted, sounding absolutely disgusted with the matter. "We can't _make _people believe something, Ash. It's just impossible. We could have all the evidence in the world; written documents, grand announcements, and God-knows what else proving our innocence, but that can't always change how a person's brain thinks. We can't 'brainwash' people. What others believe is their business, and sometimes, regardless of all the evidence one may have, a person may _still _believe the opposite. Unfortunately, there's nothing we can do to stop that."

"Honey, what your father and I are worried about..." Delia decided to take over, while Tylor gave her an appreciative look. "...Is, especially after the last rumor incident, people may get very suspicious about us. We've been targeted for rumors _twice_, and whether the rumors are true or not, it still doesn't make us look good. One rumor incident can be forgiven, but when a _second_ time happens, people start getting suspicious. They may not even believe the actual rumor, but they may think we're up to _something_."

"But..." Ash muttered, desperately trying to absorb his parents' completely valid, but still devastating, reasons. At that moment, Ash felt like his head was spinning, so overwhelmed and barely able to remained focused. "We're...not guilty."

Delia smiled sympathetically, blinking back a few tears as she rubbed her son's trembling shoulder. "Of course we're not, sweetie. Still, your dad and I think it might be best if...if we went someplace else. We need to go where we can...start fresh, where we won't have this...ordeal hanging over our heads."

"Ash, we have no intentions of leaving this problem unsolved," Tylor added firmly. Like his son, Tylor was not the type to leave a problem unfinished, contrary to how his wife used to think regarding his 'procrastination' with the old oak tree. Sure, it may have taken a bit longer to remove the tree, but Tylor _did_ see to it that the job was done, and it was done _right_, too. "Whether we leave Pallet or not, we're _still_ going to be investigating and trying to find out who's responsible for the rumor. Believe me, we're not running away or letting them get away with this."

"We just think it'd be best if we get away from the possible dangers of the situation," included Delia. "You're dad's right; we still could get vandalism, or maybe ridiculed. And even if this matter gets cleared, we may have a...'stigma' on us for the rest of our lives-"

"But we're _not guilty_!" Ash suddenly interrupted Delia, causing his mother to jump slightly via the pitch in his voice. Yes, Delia and Tylor presented strong cases, but Ash could not find comfort in their words whatsoever. "I don't understand this! Why should we have to leave if we're the ones being accused?" the boy lamented, specifically directing his speech to Tylor. "You said it yourself, Dad; we've got all this evidence discrediting the rumors! There _is no _proof that you hurt me! We're getting so close to finally figuring out who's behind this…and all you want to do is run away?!"

"We're _not _running away from anything, Ash," Tylor reassured again, almost like a promise to his son. Tylor had a feeling Ash would react this way, and frankly, Tylor could not blame him. Hell, Ash was practically speaking Tylor's own mind. Still, Tylor had finally awakened from his fantasy of Pallet Town after the threat that went through his patio window. Pallet Town was not what it used to be, and Tylor no longer wanted to stay there…or so he kept telling himself. "We're still going to see to it that whoever's behind this is found and pays. Besides, even if we _do_ move, it's not going to be overnight. It's gonna' take a least a few weeks to get ready, and we can't run off with child services monitoring us, either. But when the rumors get cleared and things settle down, then…"

"We're _still _gonna' look like we're running away!" Ash yelled, interrupting another parent. He did not want to hear Tylor and Delia's reasons, no matter how valid they sounded. Ash could _not_ believe what was happening, and he especially could not believe that _Tylor_ was the one considering moving away. Balling his fists tightly, Ash clamped his eyes shut for a moment, blocking out the horrible thoughts and emotions that wanted to explode out of him. Ash wanted to yell at Delia for lying to him, claiming their initial departure from Pallet would only be temporary. But dominantly, Ash wanted to scream at _Tylor_ for _ever_ stating he loved Pallet Town…while also wanting to leave it! Never before in Ash's life did he _ever_ consider his beloved parents two-faced.

Everything that transpired in Beverly's living room was proof of how devastating the rumors were on the Ketchums. Before the rumors, Tylor would have laughed hysterically at the thought of his family moving away. Come to think of it, Ash would have laughed alongside his dad, and they would have shared a merry little joke.

But _now_, nobody was laughing, everybody was serious, and Ash just now realized that he was not the _only_ one changed by the rumors. No longer was Delia her cherry, bubbly self, and no longer was Tylor the proud resident of his precious hometown. The Ketchums were now different people, as if the rumors were evolution stones that transformed the family members into new entities.

The worst part was, deep down inside, Ash knew he was still the _same_, as were his parents. They were still the optimistic Ketchum family, who had their share of problems like everyone else, but still loved each other. For however much the rumors changed them, they were still themselves, only crudely being _imposed_ to change, like a Pokemon evolving against its will. It was not fair.

"I…I don't want to go…" Ash spoke softly honestly, keeping his gaze downward off his parents. He especially could not look Tylor in the eye at the moment. Just thinking about his father caused Ash's veins to surge with conflicting emotions; anger, resentment, sadness. A part of Ash wanted to hysterically curse up a storm at Tylor, while another part of Ash wanted to run to his dad and beg on his hands and knees for them not to leave. Alas, neither scenario would be in Ash's favor. He needed to remain strong and composed, which was _not_ easy considering the welling tears in his eyes. He was so Goddamn sick of crying this week. Mentally cursing himself, Ash ran a finger under his nose, while sniffling and swallowing back any oncoming tears. Crying had not gotten him _anywhere_ this past week, and it certainly was not going to help Ash change his parent's stubborn minds, especially Tylor's. "And…how can _you _possibly..._want _to leave, too, Dad?!" Ash had to say slowly in order to keep his emotions in check. "Y-you...grew up in Pallet, just like _me_!"

Delia bit her lip, swallowing a few stinging tears as she glanced over at Tylor. She knew that as much as she and Ash were hurting from this scenario, _Tylor _was the one who was suffering the absolute most. Tylor had even _more _fond memories in Pallet, and he had even _more _pride and loyalty in the town that gave him so much. Tylor was a far more composed man than Ash ever could, but Delia was not blind to her husband's agony. There was no doubt, given better circumstances, Tylor would have never given the subject of leaving Pallet Town a second thought. Earlier in the week, Tylor so nearly laughed at Delia when she suggested she and Ash leave, even just for a few days to Viridian City. _When TY suggested we leave... _Delia recalled, thinking back on that horrid phone call that had been haunting her all week. _...I know I nearly laughed._ It was simply not like Tylor Ketchum to actually _suggest _his family leave his hometown, never mind actually _consider _leaving it...and _want _to leave it.

"Ash..." Tylor suddenly muttered in a sigh, looking away to give himself moment to word himself as gently as possible. Tylor was not as 'gentle' with words as Delia, and like his wife, he did not want to make this situation any harder on Ash. "...I don't..._'want' _to leave. If the situation was different..." paused Tylor, knowing there was _no_ sense in going the 'if things were different' route. "...But the situation _isn't _different, through no fault of our own. This...isn't punishment..." Tylor reassured, though he figured it certainly _felt _like punishment to Ash. "...It's just so we can get on with our lives, Ash. I just don't want these rumors constantly hovering over us. We have our whole lives ahead of us, and we have no idea of _how _long this problem's going to last."

"But...then..." Ash paused, understanding his father's words, but still adamant about remaining in Pallet. "...If that's the case...we'll..." he started, feeling slight spark of hope fill him. It was the first hint of hope Ash felt in a while, and although he knew it was foolhardy, Ash figured it was worth an attempt. "...We'll come back...once the problem's solved, r-_right_?"

Tylor was still looking away, discreetly biting his lip at his son's question. Delia did the same, though still keeping her eyes on her devastated little boy. At that moment, both parents would have given anything for the past week to simply be erased from memory. It was so unfair how this matter turned out. Whether they found the culprits or not, Delia and Tylor knew it was going to be them and their son ultimately getting the worst end of this affair. No amount of prosecution could justify the emotional pain the Ketchums underwent.

Sighing, Tylor dared to look back at Ash, regretting to have ever contemplated leaving Pallet. Never in his wildest dreams did Tylor ever believe he would actually be planning on leaving his hometown for good. Pallet Town meant the world to him, and it meant the world to his son, too. _Like' father, like son, I suppose._

Brushing away a few strands of his hair that somehow fell before his face, Tylor exhaled again, doing his damnedest to make this as painless as possible. "Ash, your mother and I think it'd be for the best if we just start fresh. We're not doing this to run away or forget what happened, but so we can move on in someplace where these rumors won't be common knowledge." After that, Tylor paused, his eyes absentmindedly peering away again as he noticed Ash forcibly bite down on his lower lip. "I know it's hard, Ash," Tylor spoke openly via his own feelings on the matter. "I love Pallet Town too, but-"

"You obviously _DON'T_ love it very much if you're willing to _leave _it!" Ash blurted out in fury, not even heeding Delia's soothing hand that comfortingly squeezed his shoulder. Her sign of affection did _nothing_ to calm his fears. Instead, Ash bolted to his feet and out of the living room not a second later, ignoring his mother's calls behind him. With few places to go and be alone in Beverly's apartment, the boy rushed out the front door. He knew Viridian well enough to at least go and find a quiet place to be alone. Ash needed time to be alone, he needed time to accept what happened, and he needed time to calm down.

Above all...Ash needed time to try and formulate a plan to rectify the problem, before it was indeed too late.

- - - - - - - - - -

"That went well," Tylor moaned to himself, back in his sister-in-law's apartment, shaking his head as he noticed Delia get to her feet. "Let him go, Del," he said, shutting his brown eyes as he felt another headache approach. "If he's not back before sunset, I'll go look for him. I know Viridian City inside and out." _Provided Ash STAYS in Viridian._ Tylor would not have been surprised at all if his distraught son headed right back to Pallet Town.

"Ty, are we doing the right thing?" Tylor heard his wife choke, coercing him to open his eyes and look back up at her from his seat. There were tears glistening in her eyes, just like their son. Seeing not one but _two _loved ones devastated by this incident yanked _all_ of Tylor's heartstrings.

"I don't think it's the 'right' thing that we're doing, Del," Tylor admitted whole-heartedly, sighing loudly. "But...I think we're doing what we _'have' _to do."

_At least, God, I hope so._

- - - - - - - - - -

The Viridian Forest had not changed since this morning, albeit it was painted in orange via the looming sunset. Ash knew _somebody _was bound to come looking for him if he stayed out past supper, and he did not feel like another confrontation at the moment. Following the 'moving revelation,' the rest of Ash's day was devoted to formulating a way to stop this madness before the Ketchums would indeed move. Alas, every time Ash tried to think of something, he always came up blank, or the plan was just short of working. He was usually very good at thinking outside the box, but not today.

More than ever, Ash _really _wished he had his friends with him. If Misty and Brock were with him, they would certainly come up with a few good ideas, or all _three _of them would concoct some flawless plan. The three of them were like one mind, and when they were separated Ash felt like two important parts of him were missing. It did not help that Misty and Brock were ten times more rational during these kinds of situations than Ash. He was the reckless, impatient, spontaneous one who typically flew by the seat of his pants. However, it was obvious his current dilemma would have to be taken _much_ more seriously. Ash constantly attempted to guess what Misty and Brock might do in a situation like this, but nothing came to mind. Perhaps he _should_ breakdown and tell his friends what was _really_ going on in Pallet Town. At least then, Ash could have Misty and Brock help him out of this mess.

_No._ Ash swore he would _not_ burden his friends with his problem, and Ash refused to break his promise. For however many messes Ash Ketchum got himself into, he also got himself _out_ of them, too. Now was really no different, no matter how much more this rumor situation hurt. True, there was no way of him being prepared for the events of this past week, but that did not mean he had to roll over and die. The bottom line was that Ash did _not_ want to leave Pallet Town: end of story. If he had to chain himself to his house, he would. If he had to bribe Mr. Mime to use Barriers all around the house and lock him in it, he _would_. If he had to do the most obnoxious chores for the rest of his life in exchange for his family remaining in Pallet, he _would_. _Whatever _it took, whatever he had to do, Ash _would_ do it, as long as the Ketchums could _stay in Pallet Town_.

But Ash had to be _realistic_, too. His parents _did_ have valid reasons for leaving, and for all intents and purposes, the Ketchums probably _should _leave Pallet Town. True, Ash thrived off challenges, but he had to keep his parents in mind, too. Delia and Tylor would not abruptly leave Pallet for any old reason. No doubt, this decision to move away was their _last resort_. Truthfully, Ash respected his parents' choices, and knew they were only looking out for their spouse and son. Tylor and Delia Ketchum did _not_ make reckless, foolish choices like their child. His parents were two smart, mature people who _knew_ what the hell they were doing. In a way, Ash wondered if he, merely a stubborn reckless little boy, had a right to insult Delia and Tylor's intelligence by defying their decisions.

On the other hand, _I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE!! _Yes, Ash sounded childish. He was _well_ aware of how childish he had been behaving this past week. He was not the quickest person when it came to intellect, but there was _one_ thing Ash was 100% certain about.

He loved Pallet Town. Ash did not care how many times the town spat upon his face, because nothing could break the memories he held dear. This did not mean Ash 'forgave' whoever was responsible for the rumors, per se. Admittedly, he was a lot like his mother, and Ash disliked holding grudges. There were only a handful of people Ash _honestly_ disliked; Team Rocket, Gary, yet even Ash had to admit they were not _totally_ bad people. Nobody was perfect, after all.

Perhaps he was a fool to want to stay in Pallet. However, Ash would _rather_ be a fool living in his hometown, than be a genius in a place that was not worth two cents in his heart! Given the choice, Ash did not want to leave his hometown it until his dying day, and even then he wanted to be _buried_ there. Was it such a crime for him to love his birthplace?

_And to think..._ Ash though, his face softening sadly as his father suddenly crept into his thoughts. _I used to think Dad felt the same way about Pallet. _It was painful for Ash to recall how his dad used to reminisce about the "good ol' days" in Pallet Town. Tylor became so animated, talking about how the town evolved over the years, and about his old friends and neighbors. Tylor spoke about Pallet with the same zest Ash used whenever discussing Pokemon, and Ash genuinely enjoyed watching his father's face light up like a child's. Whenever he saw that glint in Tylor's eyes, it was hard for Ash to restrain his own smiles and laughter.

_Why?_ Why, all of a sudden, did Tylor want to leave? Ash always believed the older a person got, the more they grew to love something, not the other way around. Granted, Ash knew Tylor was especially hurt and betrayed by the rumor incident, but still...to think Tylor would want to _leave_ Pallet Town!

_But...he said he didn't WANT to leave, and…I don't think Mom wants to, either._ That was pretty obvious, based on their bittersweet 'last meal' in Pallet Town seven nights ago.

_If NONE of us want to leave, then why in God's name are Mom and Dad even THINKING like this?! It makes no sense!_

Perhaps he did not understand because Ash was so young. Perhaps it was because he still loved his hometown, or perhaps it was because he simply _did not care anymore_ about his parent's reasons. It was clear as day Tylor did not want to move, neither did Delia, and Ash made three. Thus, what was wrong in trying to coerce his parents in staying? Ash was well aware that there were always circumstances in life one _must _do, regardless if they _want _to do it or not. However, he honestly doubted this situation qualified. There was _no_ reason for his family to leave. Yes, the rumors and vandalism were intimidating, but Ash still did not see the logic behind him and his parents being driven away due to a bunch of _lies_! And he did not care what his parents said; if they moved, the Ketchums _were _going to look like they were running away, like people guilty of a crime. Ash's parents committed no such crime! The rumors were completely false, and there was _no_ reason for them to accept punishment for something they never did. There were limits to being optimistic martyrs.

One thing was for sure; Ash was _not_ going to let this ordeal transpire without a fight. Quite frankly, the rumor ordeal was _secondary_ by now. His first priority was trying to convince his parents to stay in Pallet. Ash was not doing it to subject them to more pain, but because it wasthe _right thing to do_. Standing their ground in the midst of this situation was going to make the Ketchums stronger people. People never went anywhere, and problems were never solved, by cowering in the face of danger. Ash's Pokemon journey was a fine example of such, and his parents were the original _teachers_ of it, too. Tylor and Delia always told Ash _never_ to back down and _never_ to surrender, and _especially _never to run away. If he had any intentions of encouraging his parents to stand their ground in the face of these rumors, Ash knew _he_ was going to have to stand his _own_ ground.

_It's time I remind Mom and Dad about what they taught me._

**Next Episode: "Standing Up for One's Beliefs"**

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**A/N**: My "angtsy-ness" shines in this chapter. Your author is quite a fan of angst (though that's probably pretty obvious, even if this story isn't categorized "angst"). Still, I hope you're noticing Ash's metamorphosis. I _told_ you I don't drag kids through hell for no reason, and it's (finally) starting to show. Personally, I love chapters like these that show how much a character has changed throughout the course of the story. It somehow makes all that previous hell worth the pain. This doesn't mean the drama's over (hehe), but well, you'll eventually see. Delia and Tylor won't be exempt from their own little transformations/realizations, either, I assure you. As this story winds down to its final two episodes, I'm sure you're dying to see if Ash can 'turn the tables' and change Tylor and Delia's minds (go Sato-Chan! Go!). Lots more fun is ahead!

Reviews, culprit guesses, character gushing, and so forth are always welcomed!


	10. Standing Up For One's Beliefs

**COPYRIGHT NOTE**: I don't own _Pokemon / Pocket Monsters_.

**COMMENTS**: Okay, repeat after me: "Go Sato-Chan! Go! Go! Go!" Hehe, all of your "rooting" reviews really put a smile on my face. But the question remains: will Ash be able to change his parents' minds? Wait and see…

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NOTHING BUT LIES

_**Aiselne Phoenix**_

**Chapter 10: "Standing Up For One's Beliefs"**

Two weeks later…

Samuel called the night before. It was a brief, somewhat somber phone conversation with Tylor. For the past few weeks, the two friends had been religiously discussing the arrangements for the Ketchum's move. Naturally, Professor Oak and his family did _not_ want to see the Ketchums permanently leave Pallet Town. Despite Sam's assistance in the move, rarely a sentence passed between him and Tylor without the professor insisting Ty change his mind. Alas, just like the rest of his family, Tylor was stubborn and headstrong about his choice. He was not the type of man to go back on his word. Technically, Sam was _just_ as adamant about coercing his friend to stay in Pallet. In fact, the professor and Geoffrey even finagled a few more legal strings. Sam did not go into _too_ much detail on the phone, but the end result of his and Geoffrey's efforts ensured that child services agreed to discontinue their "monitoring visits" of the Ketchums. Pending another abuse-rumor outbreak, Tylor and his family no longer had to worry about child services. Professor Oak could only pray that with such liberating news, the Ketchums _would_ change their minds about moving away to New Bark Town in the Johto Region.

Unfortunately, Sam and Geoffrey's plan backfired. After acquiring such liberating news, now Tylor and his family had _no_ obligations to stay put. It was during that same phone call that Tylor promptly declared he and his family were leaving Pallet Town the next day. According to Professor Elm, Johto League resident of New Bark Town, the said town's slogan was "where winds of new beginnings blow."

It was the perfect place for the Ketchums to start anew.

- - - - - - - - - -

It was a day Tylor never thought would ever transpire. Even _thinking _about him and his family actually moving away from Pallet Town still sounded insane. And yet, as ridiculous as it seemed, the truth was, the Ketchums _were moving_. For the past two weeks, they already made their plans, going back and forth between Beverly's apartment in Viridian to their home back in Pallet. Today, they were driving back home, and hopefully…for the last time.

The movers would not arrive until tomorrow to haul the heavy furniture, but the smaller items; clothes and keepsakes, still needed to be taken care of by Tylor and his family. He had already packed up several boxes during his free time at home, but he knew he still needed Delia and Ash to collect their things.

Nobody said anything the during the half-hour car ride back to Pallet. Even Delia could not bring herself to lighten the mood with casual chitchat, but nobody _wanted _to talk, either. After they left Beverly's apartment in Viridian City, silence overtook the Ketchum family. It was a silence that was undeniably induced by the impending matter of leaving the hometown they all loved.

_"Ty, are we doing the right thing?" Delia recalled asking her husband that unfortunate afternoon, following their moving discussion with Ash._

_"I don't think it's the 'right' thing that we're doing, Del," Tylor admitted whole-heartedly, sighing loudly. "But...I think we're doing what we 'HAVE' to do." _

At least, they hoped so. Delia spent the rest of that day in Beverly's room, flipping through a small photo album she brought with her to Viridian City. The album was not arranged very well, since it was just a bunch of extra photos Delia kept, stuffed into an extra album so she did not waste them. Regardless, most of the photos were casual snapshots she and friends took at her and Tylor's wedding. The ceremony was held at the town's local church, and the outdoor reception was later held at Professor Oak's ranch. Delia could not help but smile as she admired those memories. Her and Ty's wedding was on a beautiful spring day, with flowers in full bloom all dancing in the fresh breeze. That day, Pallet Town was their little heaven on earth, and the town remained that way for many years afterwards.

_But now..._ Delia mulled. _What am I supposed to think NOW?_

The town they cherished so much had once again betrayed them. The first time rumors were spread about them, it was devastating, but Delia figured it would only happen _once_. Never in her wildest dreams could she have imagined this problem could have resurfaced again. _But..._ Delia could not help but wonder, _is leaving the solution? _No place was perfect, but was it _really _worth leaving behind all their Pallet memories just because of a bunch of lies?

Delia had pondered the questions over and over again, flipping through each photo page and asking herself the same damn questions. Each picture was full of smiles, joy, and memories...all within Pallet Town. _Do I...REALLY want to leave this? If it wasn't for Pallet... _She thought, biting her lip when she gazed down at all the pictures. Most were wedding pictures, but there were a few photos of when she and Tylor first dated, and a couple others of when Ash was very little. Some of the Ketchums' most important and precious moments of their lives took place in Pallet Town. It never ceased to amaze Delia how she easily took the town for granted, and now, her family was actually _leaving _Pallet. New memories would surely be established in their new home in New Bark Town, but...

...In all honesty, _none _of them wanted to start new memories elsewhere. They wanted to keep on living in Pallet Town, but unfortunately, it did not seem that Pallet _wanted _them anymore.

- - - - - - - - - -

His mother told him _twice_ that morning to pack up his bedroom's belongings. Delia's first request was standard, but her second was an _order_ induced by irritation. Ash knew he was pressing his luck by disobeying Delia, but he had no intentions of doing as he was told, primarily because he had no intentions whatsoever of even _leaving_. Plus, even if Ash did decide to humor his mother and do as she asked, he doubted he _could _pack his belongings, anyway. Ash did not want to leave, he simply did not, and he knew his parents did not want to leave, either. It was time _somebody _stopped pretending the opposite and stood their ground.

And that was _exactly _what Ash planned on doing.

"Ash, I am _not _going to tell you this again," Delia snapped, standing at Ash's bedroom threshold and sounding far more irritated than she did the last time she declared her order. She expected Ash to be upset and stubborn, but his defiance was starting to royally irk her. Delia did not find this move anymore pleasant than her son did. "Now, we've been here for over two hours and you haven't packed a thing. We're going to be leaving in one hour, and your stuff _better _be packed, mister, and I _don't _want to hear about you forgetting anything."

Ash turned to her, giving her the exact same response he gave her the last time she told him to pack-up. He knew he was risking a serious punishment from Delia, or worse, from _Tylor_, but Ash was not about to let that scare him from doing what he felt was right. "I'm not leaving," he said plainly, not at all surprised by Delia's exasperated groan. "There's no point in packing."

"Ash, you're _really _asking for it," Delia warned angrily, her patience running thin between the move ordeal and Ash's obnoxious persistence. "I've got a lot of things to do, and we are _not _going through this again. Either you pack up your stuff, or it can stay behind! End of story. And don't you _dare _give me that 'you're not leaving' bunk again!"

"But I'm _not_ leaving," Ash countered insistently, doing his damnedest to stand his ground. Frankly, he was getting tired of his parents insisting on leaving when they did not _want_ to; it was clear as day. "Mom, I _know _you don't want to leave."

"Ash, I am _not _going through this _again_!" Delia repeated, far more loudly and angrily. Every time she told Ash to pack his belongings, she heard this crap again, and Delia was sick of it. She was very busy today, and above all, Ash's stubbornness hurt her, too. "We're leaving, and that's all there is to it!"

"_I'm _not," Ash retorted matter-of-factly as Delia groaned loudly in aggravation.

"_Ash_!"

That roar did _not_ come from Delia, but from _Tylor_ as he stormed into Ash's room. Naturally, he overheard part of his wife and son's argument downstairs, and Tylor was getting a tad fed-up, himself. The second the man entered the room, both Delia and Ash quieted. Delia was relieved her husband stepped in to stop this foolishness. She was very good at breaking Ash's shell, but Tylor was flawless.

Meanwhile, despite his adamancy, Ash could not help but feel a _tad_ intimidated by Tylor, though Ash did his best not to show it. If he was to ever get through to his parents, Ash _had_ to remain strong, which was _not_ going to be easy if Tylor kept glaring back at him with that irritated look. Tylor was not a violent man by any means, but he _was _strong, and Ash had no intentions of testing his father's physical strength, either. His parents never hit him like the rumors claimed, but Ash was not stupid enough to give them a _reason _to hit him, either.

"What is going on in here?" Tylor interrogated, not necessarily to anyone in particular as he looked around Ash's room. The bedroom's surroundings looked the same from two hours ago, with empty moving boxes not even appearing to have been _touched_. "Ash, why isn't any of your stuff packed yet?" he asked sternly, locking his glare with Ash's eyes, noticing the boy flinch slightly at his father's strict questioning. It had been a _very _long time since Tylor talked to his son like this, and it felt unpleasant for the _both _of them. Folding his arms, though, Tylor knew that as awkward as it seemed, he was not about to back down...anymore than his son wanted to.

"I'm not leaving, Dad," Ash said definitively, hearing Delia groan again from behind Tylor while her husband rolled his eyes. Obviously his parents were not taking Ash seriously. To adults, he was simply acting like a stubborn brat, and perhaps he _was_, but Ash was determined to prove them otherwise. "And, I know you two don't want to leave, either."

"Ash, we've _already _been through this," Tylor said, like Delia, hardly believing they were discussing this crap again. "This isn't a 'vacation' we're looking forward to. It's something that _has _to be done."

"No it _doesn't_!" Ash strongly insisted, knowing he was _really _testing his parent's patience. "I don't see why we should leave if we don't _want _to! And I _know _you two _don't _want to leave!"

"People don't always have the luxury of choosing, Ash!" Tylor countered forcefully. "Having to do things you don't necessarily _want _to do is a part of life."

"Don't give me that 'part of life' crap!" Ash spat angrily, hating how his parents often resorted to preaching to him about _morals_ rather than giving him a _valid _reason. Yes, what Tylor said was the absolute truth, but Ash already learned that lesson throughout his Pokemon journey. Life was not always a fun ride. Still, Ash did not warrant this particular situation as "a part of life" experience, nor did he think the "part of life" speech was any excuse for the Ketchums to leave Pallet.

"Watch your mouth, young man," Delia warned in a hiss, folding her arms as she glared back at Ash as well. She could only hope that by having _two _parents glare at him, Ash would snap out of this stubborn streak. "Your father and I have already made up our minds."

"And what about _me_?!" Ash exclaimed incredulously, pointing an index finger at himself for emphasis. "Neither of you ever asked me if _I_ wanted to leave! I live here just as much as you do. Doesn't my opinion matter in this?!"

Tylor and Delia exchanged a quick look. Technically, their son _was_ right. Neither Tylor nor Delia ever consulted Ash outright if he _did _want to leave. But then again, Tylor and Delia _knew _what Ash's response was going to be: just what he was doing right now. "Ash, of course your opinion matters," Tylor admitted, looking back at his son, rather impressed at how stern the boy looked. Ash definitely took after his father and mother, for sure. _Ash really doesn't want to go. I can't blame him, though._

"It sure doesn't _feel_ like my opinion matters," Ash muttered sarcastically, looking away from his parents for a moment. He was not trying to sound so childish, but what Ash said _was_ true. His parents never bothered to take his opinion into account, and Ash felt privileged to _some _say in this matter. He was probably not entitled to the _final_ decision, but Ash felt he deserved _some _part.

"I know _I'm_ just a 'kid,' and I know _you're_ the 'parents'," Ash spoke, sounding rather subordinately about himself. However, considering the way Delia and Tylor disregarded his opinion on the matter, Ash _was_ a little insulted. He may still be just a 'kid,' but Ash figured his parents respected him enough to acknowledge and respect his opinion. Minutely, his parents disregard for his feelings hurt Ash, but he was not about to let his emotions get in the way of proving his point. "However, I've lived here most of my life, and I _don't _want to leave Pallet Town."

Expectantly, Ash's parents exhaled softly, knowing that when their son got something stuck in his head, it was nearly impossible to change his mind. No doubt, Ash's stubbornness was a culmination of Tylor and Delia's personalities. In a way, Ash's stubbornness was almost _double_ his parents'. Still, stubbornness or not, what Ash said _was_ entirely plausible, too. Tylor and Delia dodged the painful step of consulting Ash's opinion on the matter, and now they were facing the consequences. It was a 'pay me now, or pay me later' scenario.

"Ash, we know you don't want to leave, okay?" Tylor admitted, his voice mixed with a touch irritably with a hint of sympathy. God, if it were up to Tylor, he _would_ have easily sided with his son. Alas, this situation was _not _up to Tylor.

"I know _you _don't want to leave, either," Ash added positively, not at all surprised by more groans from his parents.

Tylor rolled his eyes and ran a hand through his raven hair in agitation, shaking his head at his boy's pigheadedness. _Like father like son, I guess_, but Tylor was sick of feeling as though he was talking to a brick wall. Leaving Pallet Town was not an easy experience for Tylor, and Ash's persistence was _not _making it any easier.

"Ash, _don't _start this again," warned Tylor, taking a step toward his stubborn son and making sure to stand his _own_ ground. Tylor and Ash seldom argued, especially since Tylor was rarely home in recent years, and Ash rarely gave Tylor an _incentive_ to argue, too. For the most part, Ash was a well behaved boy; not an 'angel,' but one who only needed occasional reprimands. Ash got into mischief and trouble just like any kid, but the child was smart enough never to rile his parents up to dangerous levels.

However, Tylor also knew how to get through to his son if needed. The father's intimidation was almost always the solution. Ash did not like confrontations with his parents, _especially _with Tylor. Delia was _no_ pushover, and nine times out of ten, all she had to do was give Ash _'that look'_ and he submitted. Tylor, on the other hand, possessed tall masculine features, which were _much_ more intimidating than any glare. Plus, Tylor did not falter if his son attempted to cry himself out of the situation to win over sympathy. Tylor did _not_ let that crap fly in his family, and most of the time, Ash knew when to back off. _Why_, now of all times, Ash was putting up such a fight somewhat baffled Tylor. The boy was obviously dead-set on his decision and grew resilient over the years. Ash's maturing was admirable, but this was not time for it, either.

Averting his attention back at the matter at hand, Tylor pointed a finger at the unused cardboard boxes littering Ash's room. What Ash said was true; Tylor did not want to leave, but he did not want a _fight_, either. "I want those boxes _full _the next time I come in here," Tylor strictly ordered, locking his glare with Ash's eyes. "_Got it_?"

Ash bit his lip for a second, inwardly shuddering at Tylor's bark. His father was getting very irritated, and under normal circumstances, Ash would have learned his place and immediately backed down. But these were _not _normal circumstances, and Ash was _not _going to back down. Frankly, Ash was getting a tad irked, himself. His parents were being just as stubborn as he was, insisting on leaving when they _clearly_ did not want to. "How can _you _possibly want to leave, Dad?" Ash demanded to know, not at all surprised when Tylor gritted his teeth angrily by his son's obnoxious inquiring. "You _grew up_ here, just like me!"

"Ash, it doesn't matter anymore, _okay_?" Tylor snapped, making Ash jerk slightly at his dad's harsh voice. "I'm sick of hearing about this! Pack up your things right now, or leave them behind for all I care! But don't think this'll change anything! We're leaving and that's all there is to it!"

"'It doesn't matter'?!" Ash exclaimed, sounded as though he just heard the most preposterous idea on earth. "_Of course_ it matters! This is your _hometown_, Dad!" the boy emphasized, quickly blinking away a few bittersweet tears that involuntarily stung his eyes from that comment. How could _anyone_ simply want to leave their hometown...like _this_?! Maybe Ash was too young and naive to understand, but Ash still did not understand Tylor's ideology. To Ash, leaving one's hometown was like leaving behind one's past, and that was just plain _stupid_ to do. It was not like _all_ their time spent in Pallet was horrible; most of their memories were _wonderful_. "Why...why should we have to throw away all of our memories just because of a bunch of lies?!"

"We're not 'throwing _anything _away'," Tylor swore, rather annoyed by his son's damn melodrama. _Nothing_ could take away their happy memories of Pallet Town, no matter where the Ketchums relocated. "We're _moving on_."

"We're _running away_!" Ash countered sharply.

"Ashton, you are _really _testing my patience right now!" Tylor yelled, his tone elevating another degree and causing his son to evidently cringe. Being uncommonly addressed by his full name did not ease Ash's anxiety, either. Whenever parents called their children by their full names, Ash knew it rarely lead to anything good. Names were _very_ case-sensitive to the triviality and magnitude of a situation. "I'm not going to hear _anymore _of your nonsense! If those boxes are not filled by the time I come back in here, so help me God!" Tylor swore angrily. Frankly, Tylor could only hope Ash _would_ do as his father told. Tylor always told his son never to admit defeat, but this time, Tylor _wanted _Ash to submit, just so this ludicrous argument would stop. Today was not easy for _any _of the Ketchums.

Ash did not even _want _to find out what his father would do if Tylor returned to the empty boxes. "So help me God" was vague, but it also never lead to anything good, and Ash was not bold enough to try and find out. Tylor was getting furious now, and Ash knew he better be careful. It would not take much to set Tylor off, and while his father was not a violent man, Ash did not want to regret anything, either. Truthfully, Ash really was trying to _help _the situation, not make it worse.

"But...this _isn't _nonsense, Dad," Ash reassured, this time with a more calmed-down voice. If he was going to be taken seriously, Ash had to keep _himself _calm and serious. Loosing his own temper and riling up Tylor's was not going to make matters better. "Why are you and Mom acting like this is no big deal? I _know _you don't want to move. Why can't you just admit it?"

"Ash, listen to your father," Delia advised, noticing from her angle that Tylor was getting _very_ pissed by Ash's insistent words. She of all people knew the agony her husband was enduring. Tylor refused to show it, but he was the one hurting the most these past couple of weeks. Ash was sweet to try and help, but the boy really was not helping as much as he figured.

"Doesn't Pallet Town mean _anything _to you two anymore?!" Ash countered, appalled by how none of his words seemed to be getting through to his parents. Perhaps Tylor and Delia really _did _not care about Pallet anymore, but Ash was a completely different story.

"Ashton, I am warning you!" Tylor roared, taking few more steps in front of his son. There was a significant height difference between the two men, and Tylor had every intention of utilizing the towering intimidation to his advantage. "Do _not _make me and your mother repeat ourselves _again_!"

Tylor's intimidation worked somewhat; Ash was definitely getting scared. The boy was, and more specifically _felt_, so incredibly small at that moment. Tylor was over six feet tall, easily a few feet over Ash's head and casting a shadow of dread over the boy. But at the same time, Ash felt so completely powerless. His parents were not listening...his plan was failing, and while Ash refused to give up, the battle was becoming progressively harder. How could Ash get through to his parents? He refused to break down, even though Ash was battling the urge to, knowing it would only make his position weaker.

_Don't give up..._ Ash told himself. _Don't give in…THAT'S what Dad and Mom always told me!_

Biting his lip, Ash balled a tight fist, doing his damnedest to remain strong. He did not want to leave Pallet Town..._that _was his incentive, and that was a goal Ash was willing to fight towards. Regardless of how frightening his father looked, regardless of what Ash was risking, the boy _refused_ to leave Pallet without a fight. He did not want a _physical _fight, but...if that was what it took... "This is _our _home," Ash muttered, glaring right back up at his father. 'Like father like son,' it was time Ash proved such to Tylor. "...And I am _not _leaving it!"

'Like father like son' was right. Delia was taken aback by Ash's adamancy. The boy had always been stubborn, but this time was much different. Ash was not simply being stubborn, he was actually _taking on _Tylor, which Delia did not advise, but she _was _impressed, nonetheless. Many years ago, a similar argument ensued between the father and son. Ash borrowed Tylor's old baseball glove without permission, and the seven-year-old somehow lost it in the woods. The glove was collectible memorabilia, even autographed by Tylor's favorite player. Even _more_ specifically, that glove represented one of Tylor's favorite childhood memories of when he and _his_ father went to baseball games every Saturday, before Ash's grandfather passed away. Naturally, when Tylor found out his son took the precious glove, never mind lost it, all the while never _asking_ for Tylor's _permission_, Ash's father was furious. Of course, the scared little boy tried to pretend that he was innocent, but once Tylor started with his intimidation and interrogation, Ash cracked. Back then, it was nothing for the boy to break down when Tylor scared him this way.

But now...now was an entirely different story. Even Delia half-expected Ash to have cracked by _now_, but he admirably did not. She caught a few instances of Ash faltering and shuddering at Tylor's booming voice, but nothing more, and Delia _was _impressed. Ash would have never been able to last this long a few years ago, but Delia did not want things to get worse, either. It was always easier when Ash caved in, since such always ended the bout. However, since Ash was _not_ backing down, Delia feared what might happen if things got any worse. _Somebody _was going to get hurt, not necessarily physically but _definitely_ emotionally, and today was not the most opportune of days for extra pain. _Oh Ash..._ Delia's face softened, feeling as though her heart got squeezed. _I know how you feel, but honey...please stop._

Tylor thought the identical about how admirable Ash's bravery was, and how it would be best if the boy stopped. There was no doubt, Ash was getting older and more mature, and he was obviously becoming more like his parents every day. Tylor wondered if such was good thing in terms of his family's stubbornness.

But at the same time, Tylor was certainly not about to back down, either. Little did Ash know that he was simply rubbing in more salt into his dad's wounds; constantly reminding Tylor of the wonderful place Pallet used to be prior to the rumor ordeal. _But..._ Tylor now understood, painfully absorbing one of the hardest realizations of his life. _Pallet's not as wonderful as it used to be. It's different...and…I don't want to go, but… _Tylor sighed, knowing every one of Ash's spoken words was valid, but they were painful, nonetheless.

_"This is OUR home."_

Tylor discreetly bit his lip, looking away for a moment before regretfully locking his brown eyes with his son's matching orbs. "Ash..." Tylor started strictly, but almost sadly, his tone softening only for a moment. Truthfully, what Tylor was about to say was something he had _no_ intentions of speaking _today_. Alas, how _else _was Tylor going to stop his son's foolishness? "...This _isn't _our home anymore."

Ash opened his mouth to protest, but nothing escaped. Blinking, Tylor's last line replayed through Ash's memory like a broken record. The boy's stubborn facial expression instantly softened as he stared back up at his father with a surprised look morphing on Ash's face. "...W-what...?" he muttered, blinking again in confusion alongside sudden knot forming in Ash's stomach. "...What do you mean...'this isn't our home anymore'...?"

"...Tylor...?" Delia asked softly and nervously, her husband reluctantly taking a few steps away from Ash to look back at his wife, noticing her face paler and her mouth agape. "...What're you talking about?" she questioned. Even Ash blinked again in surprise at how even _Delia_ seemed appalled by Tylor's remark. _What the hell did THAT mean?!_

This moment was _definitely_ not the way Tylor planned on telling his family this _other_ piece of breaking news. "I...was going to tell you this, _after _we left," Tylor mumbled, just enough for his wife and son to hear. Sighing, Tylor shook his head in defeat, knowing there was no going back now. The subject was unavoidable, and it was going to be addressed eventually, but Tylor originally planned on addressing the topic under more..._controlled _circumstances.

"Tell us..._what_?" Delia stuttered, swallowing a lump in her own throat as a sudden wave of dread crept through her veins. She did _not _like the way Tylor was talking.

"Del…Ash…" Tylor started, individually turning to both as he addressed them. Sometimes, there were downsides to being the 'man of the house.' Most, if not _all_, of the responsibility was placed on Tylor's shoulders, and he often found himself the 'bearer of bad news'. "...I..." He stopped for a moment, noticing the terrified look on Delia's face. _This _was what Tylor was worried about. "...I...sold the house."

The room became deadly silent, and the temperature seemed to drop several degrees. The atmosphere became thick and heavy, almost suffocating for the threesome. All the while, _something _felt like it slammed into Delia and Ash, ramming into their backs and running a glaive right through their hearts. Did Tylor...just say...what they..._thought _he said?!

"You..." Delia muttered, swallowing another lump in her throat as she felt horrified tears fill her eyes. She must have heard incorrectly, she _must _have! Tylor wanting to leave Pallet Town was hard enough to imagine, but Tylor actually _selling the house he grew up in _was…_unbelievable_. "You..._sold the house_...?!"

Tylor knew he was going to regret this, especially since he never ever consulted his wife about this choice. The entire affair had happened so suddenly. His family decided to move away from Pallet, and Tylor did not want _anything_ holding him back there. If the house were not his anymore, Tylor would be cutting the last bind holding him back. He was a firm believer in moving forward never looking back, something Tylor religiously taught Ash. Experience was a hash educator. "Yeah, Del," he nodded, the man's decision already made, though Tylor did not sound proud of his accomplishment whatsoever.

"_When_?!" Delia demanded, not even believing what she was hearing. This episode was painfully similar to the morning Sam came into their living room and claimed neighbors were spreading rumors about her and Tylor abusing Ash! Once again, Delia could_ not believe her _ears.

"A few days ago; a private selling. They gave me a good price, so I took it. After all, we're leaving...we would've sold the place sooner or later."

"I know, but...you never even _told me_!"

"I was gonna' tell you once we finished packing."

"And was that supposed to make it _easier_?!" Delia blasted, tears threatening to escape her eyes as she shook her head wildly in disbelief, causing her long auburn bangs to slap her face. Never before in Delia's life did she ever contemplate slapping her _husband_. "My God, Tylor! How could you do that without telling us?!"

"The house is in _my _name, Delia."

"But you're not the _only _one who lives here!"

"The house is _still_ in _my _name, Del, and it's _my _choice as to what should be done with it," Tylor spoke strictly. "And my choice was to sell it. Now we've got _nothing _holding us here."

"Yes we _DO_!" Ash's voice suddenly blasted, grabbing his parents' attentions once again. Like Delia, Ash was just as stunned and flabbergasted by Tylor's guile. First, his parents did not consider Ash's opinion on moving, and now his father..._sold their house_ without even caring what Ash, or even Delia, thought! What the hell was an opinion for?!

But frankly, Tylor's disregard for his family's opinions was not the _only_ thing that devastated Ash. "'Nothing's holding us here,' Dad?!" the boy asked incredulously. "I think there's a _lot _holding us here!"

Tylor sighed, shutting his eyes in tiredness. _Here we go again._ "Ash, the only one holding _you _here is _you_."

"And so what if I _am_?!" Ash hollered wildly. The boy was absolutely exasperated and infuriated by his father's casual approach to this matter, as if selling the house he and Ash grew up in was no big deal! "Is it _wrong _to love your hometown?! Is it _wrong _to want to stay in the house you grew up in?! You say nothing's holding us...but there _is_! Don't _memories _count, Dad?! Maybe you're mad at Pallet for the rumors, and so am I, but..." Ash abruptly paused, swallowing a few sudden tears. _Dammit!_ He would not cry, he _could not_ cry. "...This _IS our HOME_!"

Exhaling again, Tylor shook his head. In any other circumstance, he _would _have agreed 100% with Ash. Openly, Tylor _did _agree with his son. So many memories were contained in Pallet Town, memories that would forever remain with Tylor and his family. Unfortunately, "Ash, I already told you," Tylor admitted in defeat. "This _isn't _our home anymore."

"YES IT _IS_!" Ash yelled, shutting his eyes tightly to compose himself. "How can you say that, Dad?!" he demanded, opening his glossy glaring brown eyes at his father, a father who was clearly unhappy about selling the house. Ash could not stand how ignorant Tylor behaved regarding his own feelings. There was nothing wrong with being strong and resilient, but Tylor was just being outright _cold_. "You obviously don't want to leave!"

Tylor gritted his teeth again, sick and tired of hearing Ash's damned phrase and riding this foolish merry-go-round. "_Of course_ I don't want to leave!" he finally admitted, his blast instantly causing Ash to cringe in fear. Over a week and a half ago, Tylor would have laughed hysterically over the idea of leaving Pallet Town!

"Then _WHY_?!" Ash implored, not understanding his father's reasoning whatsoever. Perhaps it was because Ash was a kid, but he did not understand why adults often did one thing and said another. "Why should we have to leave if we don't want to?! It _makes no sense_!" he lamented, shutting his tear-filled eyes once again for a moment. His resolve was crumbling and Ash hated himself for it. Of course, Ash _never _expected to hear news such as _this_, either. _Everything _changed the moment Tylor admitted he sold their house. The worst part was, selling the house was the most _definitive_ move Tylor could have made. Ash had no comeback for such a revelation. "I don't understand!" the boy choked, opening his eyes again and staring at Tylor. If Ash were not so busy fighting off his emotions, he would have instantly resented his father. Why in God's name would Tylor go to such an extreme measure? The man grew up in this exact house, he revered Pallet Town, and he had countless memories within the small town. For so long, Ash thought he understood his dad's feelings, but now…

…But now, Ash did not understand _anything_ anymore. "I...don't understand _at all_!" Ash admitted sadly, feeling powerless in the scenario all over again. As much as Ash did not want them to, the tears came anyway, but he stubbornly clamped his eyes shut to restrain them. Still, there was no denying the fact that knowing Tylor sold the house definitely served a powerful, painful blow to Ash's resilience. "I...don't understand..._any _of this!" Ash shook his head in despair, desperately attempting to hold together his cracking endurance. "Why s-should _we _have to leave?! We didn't do _anything _wrong!"

Delia, who had been furiously wiping away the persistent tears rimming her own eyes, bit her lip via her son's heart-felt words. "_Of course_ we d-didn't, sweetie."

"Then _why_ should _WE _have to leave?!" Ash screamed again, more loudly this time, tightly gripping his whitening, trembling fists. Although he could not see them, Ash could tell his parents' eyes were bearing down on him, and he could not handle additional pressure. Turning his head away, Ash harshly bit down on his lip, causing it to minutely bleed. He figured it was better to have blood dripping down his face, rather than those damn tears burning his eyes. "We did _nothing_! You _never _hurt me! Why do we have to be p-punished for something we never did?! They're _LIES_, dammit! It's _not fair_!"

He felt something make contact with him. However, before Ash even had time to react, he recognized the feeling of a pair of strong arms enveloping him into a comforting embrace. He remembered those arms from that night several weeks ago, when his father held him tenderly as Ash wept away his pain. Almost identically to that night, Tylor now soothingly rubbed his son's back, physical coercion for Ash to burry his head into his father's shoulder. A few dots of blood and tears speckled Tylor's shirt, while Ash kept the rest inside of him. This matter was so damn hard, so damn painful, and so damn _unfair_. There _really_ was _nothing_ Ash could do to stop the unthinkable move, and knowing such filled the boy with unprecedented failure. He tried; Ash _really_ tried, but he obviously either did not try hard enough, or his efforts just were not _good enough_.

"I tried, Dad…" the boy whispered through one discreet choke, loud enough only for Tylor's nearest ear to hear.

Somehow, Tylor understood what Ash meant, and affectionately tightened his embrace. "I know, kiddo." Frankly, Tylor commended Ash's efforts, since they were definitely nobler than what his father did. Tylor was not proud of his recent decisions whatsoever.

"And…I'm sorry," Tylor added softly, though louder as he clearly addressed the additional sniffle he heard coming from where Delia stood. A moment like this was exactly why Tylor had been avoiding the 'I sold the house' topic for as long as possible. Frankly, for as painful as it was for Ash and Delia, it was _just _as hard for Tylor, but he was less public about it. He was not stubborn to show his emotions in front of his loved ones, but Tylor also knew when he had to be the strong one of the family, too.

"I'm sorry," repeated Tylor, his gentle voice a dire contrast to how it sounded earlier. Shutting his eyes for a moment, Tylor then stole a glance back over at Delia, his wife wiping away some of the few tears that cascaded down her delicate features. Contrary to his personal resilience, times like these were never easy on Tylor, either. Knowing he was the bringer of his family's pain tortured the man.

"Del, Ash. Look…" Tylor started softly, not at all cruelly but more so _rationally_. "Look, I don't want to leave..._anymore _than you two do. But it's already been decided." He heard one more little sniffle come from his son, encouraging Tylor to peer back down at Ash and give him another tender squeeze. "But...just because we go somewhere else, don't mean _everything's _going to change. We've still got each other. Pallet Town means a lot to me, it really does, but..." he paused, his voice getting a tad more serious as he allowed his rational side to dominate his emotional side.

"But…" Tylor swore. "...My family means even _more_, and I'm not going to subject us to anymore possible harm, physical or mental. You two mean _much_ more to me than this house and this town _ever _will, and that's what matters most to me. _That _is why we're leaving."

_Oh Tylor, I know...but..._ Delia understood her husband's reasons perfectly. This move was about _safety_, nothing more. Tylor was getting genuinely worried about his family's wellbeing, especially after the last vandalism incident with the threatening 'decapitation' picture. Tylor was heeding note's warning: _Get out before THIS happens to YOU!_ Wiping her damp eyes, Delia nodded to herself. This matter was not about memories, it was about safety, and unfortunately, safety was what mattered most. Delia loved to be optimistic, but she needed to be _realistic_, too.

"Sorry,' Ty," Delia apologized for her brief break down, just above a whisper for Tylor to hear. She agreed with and trusted Tylor's reasons for leaving. "You're right," Delia admitted, slowly walking over to Tylor and Ash. Kneeling down to Ash's level, Delia placed her hands on her son's shoulders, Tylor parting from Ash just enough for his wife to intervene.

"Honey..." she cooed gently as Ash turned to meet his mother's own glossy eyes. Discreetly, the boy blinked away any tears while wiping the traces of blood from his bitten lip. "You're dad's right," Delia continued, putting on the most comforting look for her son's sake as she saw the boy's sense of failure cloud his eyes. Truthfully, Ash was very commendable for standing up for his beliefs. It was obvious he hoped to have changed his parents' minds. Ash clearly felt a tad betrayed by how _neither_ of his parents seemed to want to take his side in this matter, no matter _what_ he did. Quite the contrary, Delia and Tylor _wanted _to take his side, but _could _not.

"I know...but..." Ash swallowed while his eyes darted back and forth from both of his parents. "_You _were the ones...who always told me to never back down. _Never _give up. Why should we...give up on this?!"

"Ash, we're not giving up," Tylor gently reassured. "The people responsible are still going to be brought to justice eventually." At least, Tylor hoped so, not that he was stupid enough to voice that opinion. "The case isn't closed. We're still going to be keeping an eye out for the culprits after we leave."

"And…what about all our _memories_ here?!" Ash added, feeling a few more heartstrings get yanked at that sad reminder. "I don't want them to end like this."

"Neither do we, Ash," Tylor admitted wholeheartedly, exchanging another look with Delia before continuing. "But, kiddo, a part of life is knowing when to let go, too. We'll always have memories; _nothing _can take them away. But sometimes, people _need _to move on," Tylor said with a small smile, running the backs of his fingers gently across his son's right cheek. "I really think you're being too sentimental about this."

Ash bit his lip again, albeit sheepishly. "Maybe I am…" he confessed. True, Ash cherished many people, places, and things that blessed his life. Perhaps, he held on _too_ tightly to his blessings, but it was not without reason. Ever since Tylor and Delia started spending less time together, Ash grew to savor everything he possibly could. He hated himself for taking for granted the days when Tylor was always around. The first morning Ash realized his daddy was not home to greet him with a smile was very devastating for the boy. During the days that followed, Ash got his rude awakening, and he kicked himself for naively believing his parents would _always_ be around. Ever since, Ash swore he would not make the same mistake twice; he would _never_ take anyone or anything for granted again.

Unfortunately, now Ash seemed to be going to the _other_ extreme. Instead of taking things for granted, he became _too_ close to things, so close that separation was excruciating. The separation anxiety from Misty and Brock's departure was sheer proof that Ash _still_ was not helping his situation by being overly sentimental. "But...is that so bad, Dad?" Ash timidly asked, knowing it was somewhat of a foolish question, while at the same time "You used to gush about Pallet Town all the time! You _loved _it!" Ash remembered, hating how his words somehow came out in the _past tense_, as if Tylor once loved Pallet, but no longer. "And you still _do_, don't you?!"

Tylor did not want to go through this again. Sighing, Tylor slowly parted from his son, getting to his feet and causing Ash and Delia to follow a moment later. "Ash, please don't start this again," the father asked gently and irritably. There was no way Tylor was going to keep riding this damn merry-go-round.

But the man did not answer Ash's question, either. "_DON'T _you?!" Ash asked incredulously, his eyes widening in sheer disbelief. Tylor used to go on and on about the good old days in Pallet, glowing with excitement over the wonderful memories. A certain zest-for-life radiated from Tylor Ketchum when he talked about his past within Pallet Town. Ash could only hope that when he became his dad's age Ash would also have stories to tell others about _his _good old days in Pallet. Hell, maybe one day, him and his father would be able to reminisce _together_.

Tylor exchanged another look with Delia before he looked away into oblivion. His gaze inconveniently went in the direction of Ash's little photo gallery on the wall, the same Tylor admired a few weeks ago. Tylor never noticed how all of the pictures were not _just_ about the three Ketchums together, but also how they were set _somewhere _in Pallet Town. _Ash was right, _Tylor had to admit when he saw the beautiful Christmas photo. _This IS our home. _No other place in the world brought Tylor, Delia, and Ash back together like Pallet Town. Even though they frequently separated, the Ketchums always eventually reunited _there_.

_Damn it,_ Tylor scolded himself sharply. He did not want to start second-guessing himself again. He made up his mind, and Tylor did not like to go back on his word.

"_DON'T YOU_?!" Ash repeated, much more loudly and emotionally than previously. Tylor's silence was starting to disturb Ash. There was no doubt in the boy's mind that Tylor still loved his hometown, so _why is he hesitating?! _Ash never thought twice about answering questions of where he was from. He spoke about Pallet Town with great pride, as Tylor used to. _Why in God's name is he HESITATING?! He never used to!_ "Answer me, Dad!" Ash begged with wide brown eyes, getting genuinely frightened by Tylor's aloofness. No longer were the boy's fears dominated by leaving Pallet. Ash was _terrified _of the sudden change that somehow altered his father ever since the rumors started. Ash was unsure if he even _knew_ his father anymore, and such horrified him. There _was_ something worse than losing his home; Ash could not bear it if he lost Tylor, the Tylor Ash knew and loved. "ANSWER ME!!"

"Ash, what do you _want _me to say?!" Tylor countered sharply, silencing his nearly hysterical son. "'We're _not _leaving'?! Is _that _what you want me to tell you? Well I'm sorry, Ash, but I _can't _say that!" he roared, not feeling very proud of his sudden outburst as Ash lowered his head again. Tylor could not tell if his son was shedding tears again, nor did he want to know right now. Bit by bit, Tylor could feel _himself_ starting to falter, though he could handle himself. Still, there was no denying the fact that he never intended on putting his family through so much unnecessary pain. Alas, Tylor _still_ refused to go back on his word. Such was another principal Tylor religiously taught his son.

Now, Ash was the one who felt like he was talking to a brick wall. It was clear as day Tylor made up his mind, and he was even more stubborn than Ash. And frankly, Ash was tired of fighting with his dad. The boy's confidence and strength gradually withered away, leaving Ash exhausted, confused, and sad. The matter of his father selling the house was beyond overwhelming...it was the _clincher_ in this affair. Ash had no defenses against this. The house was already sold; it was not theirs anymore, and no matter _what_ Ash said, his family's departure was as definitive as stone. He did not know _any _way out of _this_ problem, and what were the odds that Ash could convince Tylor to buy the house back? Furthermore, what were the odds that the person who bought the house would _give_ it back? _All_ of the odds were against Ash.

Then again, _"Just because the odds are against you, doesn't mean ANYTHING!"_

Those had been Tylor's exact words the night prior to Ash leaving for his journey. Tylor had called the night before, explaining why he would not be home to see his son off. Still, that did not mean he would deprive Ash of good free advice for his quest. _"My own dad told me, the exact same day I left for MY journey, that 'even if the entire WORLD'S against you, NEVER give up! It's the people who excel in near-hopeless situations that truly become great.' And kiddo...I KNOW you're gonna' become something great. You've got what it takes, so go for it!"_

_Go for it. _

_Dad's right, _Ash told himself, inhaling a deep breath to suck in any last evidence of his damn faltering. The odds _were_ against Ash, but then, what did he have to lose? It was Tylor's very words that encouraged and inspired Ash throughout his journey. Whenever times got hard, Ash recited his father's loving words of encouragement, and somehow, Ash always survived. His dad's words inspired Ash to get to where he was today, and this situation was _no_ different. The same adrenaline and hope that Tylor originally ignited the night before Ash's journey resurfaced all over again. Ash did not care what the damn odds were anymore, and he did not care if Pallet Town, or the whole _world_, was against him. The bottom line was Ash Ketchum was _not _going to give up...not on something _this_ precious.

_Go for it!_

"I'm not leaving," Ash swore definitively, causing Tylor and Delia to blink at his sudden words and change in subject. For the parents, they were surprised that Ash dared reiterate this topic _again_. There was no way, after all they already discussed, Ash was _still _going to revert back to his damned stubbornness...was there?

As if he could read their minds, Ash firmly shook his head only once in determination. "I'm _not _leaving," he repeated, confirming their doubts.

And just when Tylor thought his son _finally_ understood him, Ash raised his father's blood pressure all over again. As another rush of agitation filled him, and at that moment, Tylor nearly yelled out in irritation. Ash's persistence was _really _pissing him off. "Ash, don't you _dare _start this again!" he roared a warning, glaring viciously at his son.

However, Tylor's glare was briefly interrupted in surprise when he noticed Ash was glaring right back up at his dad. "_You_ always told me never to give up!" Ash countered forcibly, standing his ground and never once unlocking his eyes from Tylor's. "And I'm _not _giving up!"

_That _was the clincher for Tylor. "Young man, I have had it up to _here _with your attitude!" he blasted, ignoring Delia's innocent calming words from behind, not that they calmed Tylor at all. "And don't you _dare_ misconstrue what I've taught you! There's a fine line between not giving up and being downright stubborn, and _you _are being stubborn!"

"And so are _you_!" Ash retorted, never acknowledging Delia's second 'watch your mouth' warning. Frankly, Ash 'had it up to here' with Tylor's own stubbornness _and_ ignorance. "You're refusing to admit you don't want to leave when you clearly _want_ to stay!" Ash so nearly scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief over his father's behavior. "If _I'm _being stubborn, _you're _being _two-faced! _A _hypocrite_!"

Both Tylor and Delia gasped in shock at their son's crude remark. However, not a second later, Tylor's shock was replaced by a pure, burning rage. He got mad at Ash before, but never _this_ furious. Ash and his big mouth were going a tad too far, now. The son was forgetting his place and going _way_ over the line. On the other rare occasions Ash overstepped his boundaries, Tylor had _no _qualms about reminding Ash of _who _was in charge in this family.

"_Ashton Ketchum_!" Tylor blasted at the top of his lungs, his booming voice loud enough to make Delia _and_ Ash shudder in fear. Tylor did not like to do _this_, but he was not afraid to if Ash truly deserved it. Too infuriated to waste any more time on Ash's nonsense, Tylor briskly stormed over to his stubborn son. Before the boy had any opportunity to retort or run, the stronger man reaching out, preparing to put the boy in his place. Tylor never even heard Delia's cry when he lashed out, "Don't you _DARE _speak to me that way you little-!"

"_TYLOR_!!"

There were _two _screams, actually, and both snapped Tylor out of his rage. The obvious cry was from Delia, but the second did not fully register with Tylor until a moment later. When he finally blinked, Tylor noticed his son's face abruptly go from frightened...to _hurt_…as if someone just ran a knife through the boy.

But when Tylor noticed _where_ his hand tightly gripped, and forcefully _yanked_ Ash's _left _arm...

…_Ash's broken cast arm_...

…A knife felt like it impaled Tylor, too.

**Final Episode: "Love Heals All Wounds" & Epilogue**

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**A/N**: Brutal to the bitter end, neh? Okay, who saw this coming? Who wants Aiselne to quit babbling and post the next chapter? (*sees a bunch of hands fly up*) Hehe, don't worry; it'll come next week. (*sees a bunch of annoyed faces*) I know, I'm cruel for leaving you guys on a cliffhanger, but you should be used to me being mean by now. Next week marks the grand finale, and I'm _sure_ you don't want to miss it!

Oh, and _please_ don't send me flames about how 'evil' Tylor is! (Please, _please_ tell me you understand it was an _accident_!) There's one more chapter ahead, and Ty will have his say for his behavior. Give the man a chance to explain his actions before you condemn him, okay? It's only fair.

So with that, feel free to review your impressions before this story wraps up.


	11. Love Heals All Wounds

**COPYRIGHT NOTE**: I don't own _Pokemon / Pocket Monsters_.

**COMMENTS**: Viola! The big grand finale of "Nothing But Lies"! I'm sure everyone's been patiently waiting for this, so I'll save my ramblings for ending author notes. Enjoy!

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NOTHING BUT LIES

_**Aiselne Phoenix**_

**Chapter 11: "Love Heals All Wounds"**

A disturbing silence overtook the bedroom again. The temperature dropped even _colder_ than when Tylor broke the news about selling the house, and the atmosphere became crushingly heavy and suffocating. All the while, nobody spoke, nor did they seem to even _breathe_. Considering the overwhelming conditions that engulfed Ash's bedroom, it somehow felt _impossible_ to breathe. Yet, somehow, someway, there _was_ breathing…or more so _panting_; frightened, strangled huffs and gasps from someone who sounded injured.

But somebody _was _injured.

The cold realization slammed into Tylor Ketchum like a freight train racing at top speeds in the dead of winter. As if he just wrapped his fingers around red-hot oven burner, Tylor instantly let go of Ash's arm…the boy's left arm, which was _already_ injured and frozen in a cast. Once freed from his father's grip, Ash instinctively withdrew his smarting arm. Wincing in pain, the boy held his arm tightly against his stomach, slouching forward from the throbbing pain that surged throughout his arm. For Ash, nostalgia hit him all over again, much as it did almost two weeks ago when he originally fell out of the oak tree and broke that same arm. That afternoon, Ash laid on the ground, doubled over in pain and holding his arm tightly as the discomfort intensified. This time around, the pain was not quite as unbearable, but...it was still agonizing.

Though Ash was unsure which was the _real _source of his pain: the powerful _yank_ that tormented his already-broken arm, or the fact that the _person_ responsible for Ash's pain was…

Tylor took a step back, instantly chastising himself for his incredibly reckless, anger-induced action. How the hell could he have forgotten about Ash's injury? Ash's cast certainly was not _invisible_! Yet, in the midst of Tylor's his rage and fury, rationalism did not register, and he absentmindedly grabbed the wrong arm. The father's actions were _meant_ to be a simple act of discipline: to grab his unruly son's arm to meet him face-to-face and put Ash in his place.

But this..._this _was _not _what Tylor intended.

"Oh my God," Tylor muttered under his breath, unable to tear his brown eyes away from the pained look across Ash's face. Every time Ash winced in agony, Tylor felt as though some sadistic butcher just sliced away another piece of his heart. His son's sight alone horrified Tylor. Ash's typically optimistic eyes were now clamped tight. The usual smile on the boy's lips was nowhere to be found, and instead unveiled grinded teeth in a mouth resonating pained whimpers.

The unthinkable relentlessly plagued Tylor. What if his reckless act caused _more_ damage to Ash's injury? That arm had already been broken _before_, after all. What if Tylor unknowingly did irreplaceable damage, all because he lost his temper for one split second? Unfortunately, it was apparent that _all it took_ was one split second for everything to go to hell.

But that was not the _worst _thought that haunted Tylor. As the black-haired man stared back at his son, the rumors Sam told Ty and Delia replayed throughout his mind like a horrid broken record.

_Child abuse._

No doubt, "child abuse" was _exactly_ what this moment would look like if _anyone_ outside the house found out. And even if, by some miracle, _nobody_ found out, it did not change the fact that "child abuse" was what _Tylor_ thought of this moment. Despite the rumors, Tylor _never once_ abused his son, minus a rare disciplinary spanking when Ash was littler. However, moderate physical discipline was _not_ abuse. There was a _significant_ difference between spanking a misbehaving child and insistently cracking a leather belt against him. For the past few weeks during the rumor outbreak, Tylor prided himself in _knowing_ he never indiscriminately hurt his child.

However, for the first time in Tylor Ketchum's life, he felt as though he became the very thing he swore he was not, and never would become. _He _was the one who crossed the line. Intentionally or unintentionally, _he _hurt his son..._he _committed the act of-

"Honey?!" Delia's voice suddenly squeaked, breaking the silence as she rushed over to Ash, kneeling beside him to place a gentle hand on the boy's partially hidden cast. The scene of Tylor yanking their son's already broken arm kept re-running in her subconscious, but Delia did her best to remain composed and attend to any help her son needed. "Where does it hurt?" she asked tenderly, praying Ash's injury would not be _too _serious. Ash obviously hurt _everywhere_, but she felt inclined to ask.

The pain had started to numb slightly, but Ash still could not respond just yet. As if the pain was not torturous enough, the shock of the matter still overwhelmed the boy. Whenever Ash tried to speak, his mouth clamped shut a second later, preventing any words from escaping. Despite how the pain was numbing, it still tremendously hurt, as if somebody lit his arm on fire. Pain-induced tears had involuntarily welled inside his clamped eyes, unable to escape and building up more pressure. All at once, Ash wanted to scream, cry, yell, and unable to choose between the three, he just let out another strained whimper.

Hearing this, Tylor instantly snapped himself out of his flabbergasted phase. Knowing now was certainly not the time to drown in self-loathing, Tylor rushed over to Ash and knelt down next to Delia. The man instinctively reached out his hands to place on the boy's shoulders, but Tylor could not help but hesitate for a moment. The last time his hands touched Ash, the boy ended up getting hurt. A small voice inside Tylor told him _never_ to touch the child again.

But Tylor would have been Goddamned if he _allowed_ himself to hurt Ash _again_. What happened before was an accident due to clouded judgment. Thanks to his _very_ rude awakening, Tylor was now fully aware of his actions. What he was about to do was out of sheer concern for his son, with no ill intentions attached. Blocking out the vile thoughts, Tylor carefully allowed his hands to rest on Ash's vibrating shoulders. "Ash?!" Tylor whispered, his concerned and panic-stricken voice a dire contrast to his loud and furious roars from a moment ago. Tylor was beyond worried...he was _petrified_, perhaps even more afraid than he felt _both _times Ash broke that arm.

His father's frightened voice seemed to somehow lessen the pain, albeit slightly. More than anything, hearing the concern in Tylor's voice was the proof Ash needed that his father certainly was _not_ going to hurt him again. Rather relieved, Ash felt his voice return to him, enough to finally reply to his parents. Truth be told, the pain was lessening with each expiring second. Opening his mouth, the boy's breathing was choppy coordinately with his heart pounding rapidly. Ash's eyes opened to free a few pain-induced tears, gliding down his face and camouflaging with several beads of sweat. "I-I...I'm...o-kay," he panted, though certainly not _looking_ 'okay.' Ironically, Ash said those _same exact_ words in that _same exact_ stance when Misty and Brock ran over to him the afternoon he fell out of the oak tree. Reminiscently, Tylor and Delia were no more convinced by Ash's words than Misty and Brock.

"I'm calling the doctor," Delia declared in a quick breath, getting to her feet as both Ash and Tylor looked back at her with worried looks. Feeling their eyes on her, Delia halted in her tracks, biting her lip as if she could read their minds. All three Ketchums knew what this scene was going to look like, considering the rumors. She was certainly not angry with Tylor, since she understood the unspoken reasons behind his actions. Ash _had_ been crossing the line, and Tylor sought to discipline the boy. Delia feared the argument would get ugly, and that it did. Even though she understood her husband, there was no denying that Tylor practically validated the abuse rumors.

However, rumors or not, Delia was not about to let that stop her. For all they knew, Ash's arm could have suffered _more _serious damage, and she was going to do everything in her power to save it before the unthinkable occurred. She knew calling the doctors would ruin everything her family did over the past few weeks to negate the rumors. All their past evidence and support would unravel, and the Ketchums would be back to where they started, if not in a _worse_ predicament now that there was _evidence supporting _the rumors. Still, if Ash needed medical attention, Delia refused to deny him such. Ash's safety was her number-one priority, far more important than her and Tylor's images and reputations.

"...Mom...I-I'm okay..._really_..." Ash insisted, not sounding overly convincing but not wanting to get his parents into anymore trouble. He knew whoever started the rumors would love nothing better than to hear about _this _episode, and all hell would break loose. The Ketchums were so close to clearing their names; all that remained was to find the rumors' instigator. Ash's family came too far in this struggle to suddenly lose everything, and Ash would _not_ allow it. Even he understood Tylor's actions, and it was obvious Delia did, too. Else, the woman probably would _never_ have allowed Tylor to touch Ash again. Hell, _Ash_ probably would not have let Tylor touch him again, yet Tylor's hands were still on the boy's shoulders, and Ash had no intention of breaking away. The matter was an _accident_. Ash pushed Tylor to his limits, Tylor got angry, and just like his son Tylor tended to loose his temper and not think straight in such cases. Ash was the one hurt, but he was well aware that his father certainly did not _mean_ for _this _to happen. "It's…okay…"

Delia stopped, noting the sincere look on Ash's pained face. The boy was hurting, that was clear, but he was not lying, either. Frankly, Delia did not want to call the hospital unless necessary, well aware of the can of worms that would be opened if news of Tylor actually hurting their son leaked out. It was an accident, but so was Ash's fall, and people misconstrued _that_ as abuse, too. God only knew what would be concocted from _this _incident. "Are you _sure_, sweetie?" Delia checked, returning to Ash's side to kneel down and caress her boy's damp face.

"Ash, _don't _lie to us," Tylor firmly spoke. If they had to go to the hospital, they _would_. He did not want news of this episode spreading, but he did not want Ash's injury to be ignored, especially if it needed attention. "Don't try to hide it," he told Ash, before briefly biting his lip as Tylor's own guilt doubled by the second. "Don't do it because of m-"

Ash knew what Tylor was about to say, and did not want to hear it. "It's...not that bad, really," Ash reassured, his voice slowly coming back to normal. Truthfully, he was _not_ lying; the pain _was _subsiding, much like whenever one accidently stubbed their toe. Tylor's tug was strong but not forceful enough to dislocate the child's arm. Since the cast protected Ash's arm, there was no way Tylor could have twisted or broken it again. There _were_ advantages to the obnoxious cast, since it kept Ash's arm perfectly preserved in these cases like a shell around a Blastoise. Tylor was powerful but certainly not strong enough to break through the cast. Undeniably, the only reason the arm hurt so much was because it was _already_ tender from Ash's previous injury. All it took was one tugging _jolt_ of pain to send nerves aflame. True, it hurt like a son of a bitch, but the pain _did _diminish after a while. He was no doctor, so Ash was not 100% certain about the current condition of his arm, but it certainly did not feel..._serious_. It was not as though Tylor dislodged the broken bone that was still protected by the cast. He may have yanked the arm pretty hard, but it certainly did not feel dislocated. As the rumors crudely noted, Ash had more than enough experience with injuries to know when a wound was 'serious' or not. "I...I'm not worried."

Of course, _that _was why Delia and Tylor were worried, but they trusted Ash's judgment. It took a while longer, but the parents noticed how Ash _did _seem to be slowly getting better. Then again, after years of raising the accident-prone boy, Tylor and Delia knew it never hurt to be extra cautious with Ash. "Okay," Delia relented, eyeing the boy's cast arm. "But...I'd like the doctor to check it, just to make sure. Do you want to wait until the next follow-up?"

Ash slowly nodded. "But...do we have to tell them..." he paused, stealing a glance over at his father for a moment. "Tell them...what happened?" Ash had no intentions of immaturely 'telling on' his dad over an innocent mistake. Plus, Ash, too, was aware that hell would break loose all over again if word spread, and Ash did not want that to happen.

Delia bit her lip, exchanging a look with her ashamed husband. There was no doubt, Tylor was cursing himself for his incredibly reckless behavior, and while Delia was not 'pleased' with what he did, she _knew_ it was an accident. "Well...only if there _is _something wrong," she figured. There was no reason to publicize this right now unless absolutely necessary. Hopefully, matters would not come to such.

The three of them would have to contend themselves to that choice for the time being, all of them praying nothing worse would transpire from this moment. Tylor, especially, hoped and prayed. He did not fear the possible repercussions if the affair was made public, nor did he care if he lost all reputation after today. Frankly, Tylor had _worse_ troubles. The possibility _still_ remained that he might have inflicted serious injury on his son, something for which Tylor could not forgive himself. Ash was his first and only child and Tylor loved him more than life itself. It was true that Tylor was not, nor did he consider himself, a textbook example of a 'perfect father' over the years. However, in no way did that mean Tylor ever stopped loving Ash.

And yet…Tylor _still_ did such an unspeakable, terrible thing. "Oh God, Ash," Tylor softly lamented, carefully drawing his son into another embrace. Tylor constantly reminded himself to be mindful of the boy's arm, something the father knew he should have been aware of _sooner_. Alas, what was done was done, and all Tylor could do now was apologize. That, and pray to God that he would be forgiven, even though Tylor doubted he _deserved_ forgiveness. "I'm so sorry," he spoke sincerely, affectionately stroking the back of Ash's black hair, handling the child like fragile glass.

The scene was practically identical to when Tylor and Ash last embraced a moment ago. Only this time, the _father_ was the one who needed consolation, not the son. Although the pain in his arm was still evident, Ash briefly bypassed it long enough to partially return Tylor's hug with his good arm. "I know, Dad," the boy replied through a pained choke. Ash never once doubted his father's sincerity, he never doubted the _accident_, thus he did not blame Tylor at all. It _was _an accident, and it was obvious that Tylor regretted everything.

And Tylor _did _regret _everything_, from accidently hurting Ash…to making the stupid decision to leave and sell the house. It felt like everything Tylor did lately was wrong. _'Lately'?!_ Hell, he had been doing everything wrong for a _long _time! Tylor foolishly put his job before his family, missed some of the most precious moments in life, procrastinated, made horrid choices..._everything_ Tylor Ketchum did was _all wrong_. Tylor always thought he was doing what was best, and perhaps he _was_ doing the best. However, that did not diminish the fact that Tylor did not _feel _like he was 'doing what was best.' Until now, Tylor never realized how _much _he was _really _sorry about.

_This...isn't how I want things to be, _Tylor knew without a shred of doubt in his mind.

_This...isn't me._

It was amazing how time changed the man. Years ago, Tylor used to be very much like Delia and Ash; rather happy-go-lucky and living for the moment with a zest for life. But one day, he got a random yet terrifying blow of reality, which forced Tylor to realize how life was not _always_ sweet and jubilant. The world was ever changing, and not entirely changing for the best. According to Delia, Tylor was very concerned with money. Truth be told, it was not so much the _actual_ money that preoccupied Tylor. He had no interests in becoming a millionaire, though he certainly wanted his family to have essentials for survival. Frankly, Tylor was much more interested in _what _money could provide. He could care less about jewels or foolish novelties, but Tylor worried about _necessities_; shelter, security, protection...

…_And yet, despite all my efforts, I've failed at providing Del and Ash with that 'protection,'_ Tylor suddenly realized while scolding himself. _All the money in the world may not have been able to prevent these Goddamn rumors! So then...what the hell was all my work FOR?!_

Tylor refused to believe his years of hard work and dedication at Indigo Plateau were for naught, because his career did provide other things. True, money _did _provide better shelter, security, and protection, but _only to a point_. Money certainly could not prevent certain matters from happening, such as Ash innocently falling out of the tree, the rumors, and certainly not Tylor accidently hurting Ash. All the money and protection in the world could only go so far. Yet, was it a crime to want to protect his family? _Certainly not._ Protecting one's family was what a husband and father was _meant _to do, but there _were_ limits. Tylor used to think he understood the fine line of his own limitations, but perhaps he did not.

Perhaps he went _too_ far. Tylor had obsessed over attempting to find the best for his family. Conversely in actuality, he was _depriving_ his wife and son of what they _really _needed. Surely, Delia and Ash needed money and protection, but there was something they needed even _more_…something Tylor felt stupid for not realizing until now.

They needed _Tylor_.

_"We're TOGETHER in this."_

Once before, those had been the father's exact words to Ash. Now, the Ketchum family of three was together again, right in Pallet Town, right where they _belonged_. _This _was what _all_ three of themneeded, first and foremost. Everything else, from money to protection, was _secondary_.

"I'm sorry, kiddo," Tylor apologized again, resting his head against Ash's whilst continuously stroking his son's hair. It was a shame that matters had to get this extreme for Tylor to finally realize what really mattered in his life. However, Tylor never 'forgot' Delia and Ash, not even once during his departures to Viridian City. They were all he ever thought about, which was what drove Tylor to obsess over making them happy. Frankly, the only thing Tylor ever forgot was how to make his family _truly_ happy.

"I'm sorry…about _everything_," the man openly admitted, minutely tightening his embrace lovingly as a few remorseful tears stung his eyes. Tylor felt terrible about himself, though the loathing did not last very long when he felt his son shift in his arms. It was not a fearful, saddened shift either, but a maneuver induced via Tylor's words. Realizing this, a small smile tugged Tylor's lips as his eyes reopened. "You were right, Ash," Tylor whispered into the boy's ear. "_Absolutely_ right."

Naturally, Ash blinked, unsure if he heard his father correctly. A part of the boy felt confused, while another piece inside of him felt like it somersaulted. Ash just could not figure out if that flip was induced via fear, nausea, or…joy? Perplexed, Ash carefully parted from Tylor, stealing a momentary glance at an equally bewildered Delia. Did Tylor...just say...what they _thought_ he just said?! "Dad?" Ash muttered, blinking uncertainly several times while returning his attention to Tylor. "…W-what…?"

Unsurprised by the boy's bewilderment, Tylor chuckled softly whilst caressing the Ash's face. "I _have _been a two-faced hypocrite, for a _very _long time," he admitted whole-heartedly as his smile faded into seriousness. Instinctively, Ash's mouth opened to retort, but Tylor never gave him the chance. "And…it's absolutely true. I've been doing some things, thinking they're 'for the best,' when in actuality, I've only been making matters _worse_."

In a way, Ash almost thought his father was indirectly taking the blame for the rumors, which certainly were not Tylor's fault. "But that's not your fault, Dad-!" Ash abruptly insisted, before getting cut-off via Tylor raising a silencing hand.

"In a way, it _is_, Ash," Tylor spoke matter-of-factly, silencing anything further words from Ash. "These past few weeks haven't been some of my best, but they've helped me realize something, too," he added, feeling his smile return upon gazing from his son to his wife before continuing:

"My priorities haven't been straight. I've wasted too much time worrying about the 'what-ifs,' instead of the 'what-_nows_'." There was nothing wrong with trying to be prepared for the future, but that was no excuse for Tylor to ignore the _present_. 'Living in the past' was never healthy, but neither was 'living in the future.' Sam once told him the proverb, "yesterday is history, the future is a mystery, and the present is a gift, which is _why_ it is called 'a present'." It was time Tylor started savoring the 'present' before the 'gift' he considered his family was gone forever. "These weeks reminded me about how much the two of you mean to me, _and_ how much I've been neglecting you."

Delia, especially, was thunderstruck by her husband's sudden metamorphosis. Despite what she once _claimed_,wondering if Tylor cared more about money than family, Delia never _truly _believed it. She knew Tylor loved her and Ash, and the man had the best intentions. At the very least, Tylor was not the one inconsiderately pushing his soul mate away from their son due to sour feelings.

"Ty..." Delia choked, swallowing a few guilty tears that welled in her brown eyes. Certainly, Tylor was not the _only_ spouse to blame for 'neglect.' "...Please don't blame yourself." _I'm just as responsible for your lack of visits in the past. _Delia pushed Tylor away countless times, and she felt despicable for not having the courage to vocally admit it.

As if he could read Delia's thoughts, Tylor took one of his hands off of Ash's shoulder, the hand nearest to Delia. His wife was still kneeling beside Ash, allowing Tylor the proximity to place his hand on her shoulder. With both of his hands on one of his loved ones' shoulders, Tylor's eyes darted between the two people who mattered most in his life.

"I already said you two mean much more to me than this town _ever _will, and it's true. And if..." paused Tylor, chuckling at how hypocritical he was about to sound, but also knowing the hypocritical side was going to clash with the approaching _joy_. "...It's time I start doing what _IS_ _best _for you two, not what 'seems' to be the best. And…and if that means...if you want to stay here, regardless of what's happened..." Tylor paused, not at all surprised by the appalled looks forming on Ash and Delia's faces. "...Then we'll stay."

The matter felt like some bizarre dream chock full of paradoxes and contradictions. Frankly, such was what the past few _weeks_ felt like to Ash, but now, especially, was unbelievable. "But...Dad..." Ash stuttered, feeling as though the wind was just knocked out of him due to his father's shocking revelation. Tylor's words continued to replay in the boy's mind, but…_could it be?_ "...What about what you said?"

Tylor chuckled, affectionately squeezing the boy's shoulder. Naturally, he expected his family to be surprised by his change of mind and heart. A part of Tylor was amazed by his sudden choice, while even Tylor was shocked to know not _one_ part of him felt like taking back his words. He was actually confident in his decision, feeling an old spark of his past optimism reignite for the first time in quite a while. "Let's focus on what _you _said, Ash," Tylor replied lightly, flashing the boy the most loving and sincere look Tylor could muster. "...And you were right, too. I _don't _want to leave Pallet. _Ever_."

Tylor said that before, but _never_ so heartfelt. This time was different; his voice was full of such honesty, emotion, and love that Ash knew his father was _not _going to contradict himself afterwards. This time, when Tylor said "I don't want to leave," it was not going to be followed with a "But..." or "It doesn't matter." _This_ time, Tylor spoke with that zest-for-life tone Ash remembered him using whenever he originally spoke of the good ol' days in Pallet. It was a tone Ash thought he might _never_ hear from Tylor again. Instead, Ash _was _right all along. His father never wanted to leave Pallet Town, and Ash was wrong to have ever doubted Tylor in the first place. The rumors may have changed the Ketchums, but deep down inside, they were still themselves. _Nothing_ could change that.

It was then that the reality of the matter finally sunk into Ash. It was hard to believe, but judging by Tylor's honest face, Ash was _not_ dreaming. "Are we..." the boy stammered in a choke, continuously blinking via shock and jubilant tears of disbelief. After the rumor incident, never mind Ash and Tylor's argument, Ash never thought he would be hearing Tylor's current words. The room felt like it was spinning, and though Ash felt a little dizzy, he also felt his heart flutter faster and faster with surging hope. "..._Staying_?"

As much as Tylor wanted to nod whole-heartedly, he refrained from doing so for just a moment. Instead, the man humbly raised an index finger. "Under one condition, though," he noted to Ash, though Tylor's attention was quickly averted towards his auburn-haired wife. Noticing the sudden eyes on her, Delia blinked curiously.

"Del?" Tylor asked softly, gently rubbing her shoulder. For far too long, Tylor took actions without consulting his wife. It was not that Tylor disrespected Delia's opinion, but he knew she was stubborn and was never afraid to defend her beliefs. If, by any chance, Tylor's actions clashed with Delia's mindset, heated bickering always ensued. Tylor knew he preferred to avoid conflicting her, not because he was 'afraid' of Delia, but because he feared she might get offended in an argument.

But _now_…Tylor knew he _had_ to acknowledge Delia's opinion, regardless if a fight transpired. Delia was the one who originally wished to leave Pallet Town in the first place, and she had been the one most spooked by the vandalism. Tylor was not about to say "yes" to a situation that made Delia uncomfortable. "I'm only going to agree to this…provided we _all _agree to it," he promised, causing Delia to blink again. It was clear as day what Tylor's opinion was, and Ash's opinion had been cleared _long _before this discussion. Nevertheless, Tylor still needed _Delia's_ approval. "I don't want _any _regrets."

Neither did Delia. Truth be told, the looks her husband and son gave her provoked Delia's decision quite easily. But frankly, Delia had made her decision long before, too. She had been regretting the move ever since Tylor agreed to it. Those wedding pictures kept haunting her, reminding her of the glorious days in Pallet Town. Delia did not want to throw those memories away, nor did she want to make new memories elsewhere. She desired to make _more_ memories in Pallet, _nowhere _else. The vandalism scared her, but...Delia doubted she could say "no" to Tylor. Her heart kept contradicting her rationalism, but for once in her life, Delia doubted that was a bad thing.

A tearful smile pulled her shaky pink lips, before Delia finally nodded slowly. "Okay," she answered Tylor, briefly getting hit by a blast of nostalgia. She remembered the day a younger Tylor proposed to her at the lakeside park in Pallet Town, their favorite spot. The memory occurred in the late afternoon, such as today, with the golden horizon casting a brilliant orange glow, setting the stage for their little heaven on earth. Despite what recently happened in town, deep down, Delia still considered Pallet Town her family's heaven on earth. And just like when Tylor proposed, Delia could not say "no," nor did she _want_ to say "no."

Remembering the identical precious memories as Delia, Tylor smiled brightly, easily provoking Delia to do the same. "No regrets?" he double-checked, making sure they were definitely ready to face the rest of this rumor 'storm' together. It was anyone's guess what the future held for the Ketchums, but for the first time, Tylor was not going to worry about it this second. Right now, what truly mattered was sitting right in front of him.

_No regrets?_ It was ironic that Tylor said that. Many times over the years, Delia considered the possibility of regretting their marriage, never mind regret ever meeting Tylor Ketchum. Now, the only thing Delia regretted was thinking such vile thoughts in the first place. Thus, the auburn-haired woman giggled back a few tears, before placing her hand atop Tylor's. "No regrets, Ty."

And that was all any of them needed. In a matter of hours, so much happened, both good and bad, but the resolution was what mattered, and it _was _'for the best.' The Ketchum family was _not_ leaving Pallet Town after all; they were staying right there..._together_. That was probably the best part, too. For what felt like the first time in years, Tylor, Delia, and Ash were truly together again, just as a family _should _be.

Just as they always _wanted _to be.

But before they could embrace and conclude their struggle with a "happily ever after," the Ketchums perked at the chime of their doorbell resonating through the house. All at once, the threesome exchanged worrisome looks, knowing the last time they got visitors that bad news transpired. Frankly, the Ketchums did not want such negative news during a joyous time like this. On the other hand, they certainly could not rudely ignore whoever was waiting at their front door.

A tad fearful that _more_ bad news could be awaiting them, Tylor briefly gave his wife and son reassuring hugs before heading downstairs, Delia and Ash following a short distance behind. The doorbell rang again by the time Tylor reached the closed front door, while his wife and son refrained a short distance away, Delia gingerly lacing her hand with Ash's. Taking a deep breath and bracing himself, Tylor grabbed the doorknob and opened the door. All the while, he continuously prayed to God that somehow there _would _be good news awaiting him and his family.

"Hello, Tylor," somberly greeted Professor Samuel Oak.

Right then and there, Tylor's heart felt like it dropped to his stomach. A horrid wave of nostalgia crept over him as the opened door unveiled his visitors. Understandably, Tylor felt as though someone threw him back in time to the start of rumor outbreak, seeing Professor Oak and Gary once again stood at the front door. It was _just _like last time. _Oh God…please no…_ Tylor begged with all his heart, nearly shaking his head in disbelief before noticing one specific change from 'this time' and 'last time.' Unlike a few weeks ago, there was one _extra_ addition to the Oak's visiting party: Mary Anne Oak.

"Sam? Gary? Mary Anne?" Tylor hesitantly addressed each individual as he attempted to remain calm. Out of the three Oaks, none of them looked 'happy' to be standing on Tylor's porch, leading Tylor to assume… _No! No! Don't assume ANYTHING! _Tylor just swore he would no longer riddle himself with 'what-ifs.' Despite how fear started devouring his newly revived hope and optimism, Tylor knew he could not jump to conclusions. Thus, he took another breath before opening the screen door and silently allowing the Oaks to file into the Ketchum living room. Nobody sat down, nobody spoke…the party of six just remained in overwhelming silence for a few agonizing seconds.

Feeling very anxious at the moment, Tylor brought his attention at the professor. Just like a few weeks ago, Samuel bore a solemn look, just as he did before breaking the news about the rumors. Tylor certainly did not want a re-run of that incident. "What's...going on?" he dared to ask, taking another deep breath as if he were ready to jump off a cliff.

If Sam was trying to look content, he did it poorly. The old friend looked downcast, just as upset as he was the night him and Tylor cleaned up the patio door vandalism. _Oh God...please..._Tylor prayed, barely noticing two pairs of footsteps get closer behind his back. Tylor did not need eyes in the back of his head to know _who_ was standing behind him as though Tylor was a shield. _Not this again. Please...not in front of Del and Ash._

"Tylor..." Sam started, his voice low and sounding rather disgusted. A knot had already engulfed Tylor's stomach as the disgusting nostalgia overwhelmed him all over again. Tylor knew he and his family could not bear _this_ a second time. "Ty...I'm afraid we have something to tell you."

Ash swallowed nervously whilst delicately and skittishly squeezing Delia's hand. Their hold was shaky; both of them were trembling, fearful of whatever it was Professor Oak would relay. The last time a situation like this occurred they learned about the dreaded rumors. Professor Oak certainly did not look happy about whatever it was he wished to divulge. As if Samuel's demeanor was not perplexing enough, Mrs. Oak had tears in her eyes, and Gary...well, Ash refused to look at him right now. Instead, Ash peered back at his father, noticing Tylor was just as nervous. Seeing Tylor frightened easily elevated Ash's personal fears and coerced the boy to chew his lip. _Please God...don't let it be bad news. Don't do this to Mom and Dad again._

Frankly, Professor Oak did not appear anymore comfortable with the situation. Closing his eyes for a second, the older man exhaled silently before reopening his eyes and speaking, "We are..." Sam paused, shaking his head almost in disbelief. "...So sorry."

Tylor and his family blinked, not liking the way matters were transpiring. What were the Oaks so 'sorry' about? Was it something they did, or were they expressing general sympathy for something _worse _that happened? Either way, what were the odds that this conversation would lead to _good _news?

Delia dared to speak up, still holding her son's hand lovingly. "Samuel…what're you talking about?" she carefully asked, keeping her voice as calm as logically possible. Professor Oak had been her confidant for many years, especially whenever Tylor was away. Delia told Sam everything, and on the few occasions Sam needed _her_, he told her everything, too. Delia disclosed to Sam some of the most difficult memories of her marriage, and Sam confided her the wounds of losing his late wife several years ago. There were _no_ secrets between Delia and Sam, or at least Delia never thought so.

Yet, it was not Sam who _responded_ to Delia's question, either. Instead, Mary Anne took a step forward, carefully walking over to Delia. Instinctively, Delia let go of Ash's hand to meet Mary Anne, blinking at the brunette woman's sudden actions. Despite Mrs. Oak being married longer, Delia and Mary Anne were the same age. To Delia, Mary Anne was like a sister, next to Beverly. Yet, unlike Delia's older sister, Mary Anne was more feminine like Delia. She wore a casual purple skirt and matching blouse, and wore her long brunette hair in a braid. Mary Anne had always been popular for her attractiveness, though she was humble enough never to flaunt it. For those reasons, and more, Delia always liked Mrs. Oak.

Thus, seeing Mary Anne with glistening tears in her eyes easily alarmed Delia. "Mary Anne?" Delia whispered, placing a hand on Mary Anne's vibrating shoulder. "What's wrong?"

It seemed to take an extra moment before the braided woman sniffled, "Oh Del…" Thereafter, tears promptly followed Mary Anne's words, trickling down her pretty face. The action provoked the two women to finally embrace, though Delia exchanged a baffled look with Tylor and Ash as she rubbed her weeping friend's back.

"Mary Anne, what's wrong?" Delia repeated, albeit more softly and more concerned this time. Carefully, she pulled apart from Mary Anne, just enough for the women to face each other. Seeing her old friend so distraught easily pulled Delia's heartstrings, though her confusion prevented any immediate tears. Mary Anne Oak had been one of Delia's closest friends, if not Delia's 'best' friend. The two women were both in their early thirties, but still acted like a pair of giddy teenage girls from time to time. They told each other _everything_, and Mary Anne had been another confidante for Delia during Tylor's leagues of absence. The only difference between Samuel and Mary Anne was Delia felt more comfortable divulging her and Tylor's intimate memories to a woman her age. Mary Anne seemed to feel the same whenever she told Delia some of her private matters between her and Nick Oak, too. Certainly, there were not many secrets between Delia and Mary Anne. Thus, seeing the attractive Mary Anne wearing a miserable expression behind a face of tear-stained make-up greatly worried Delia. "Honey, what happened?"

Delia's innocent, heart-felt question seemed to provoke more tears from Mary Anne's blue eyes. "Del…" she wept, wiping her eyes in a feeble attempt to wipe away the persistent, burning tears. "I...I'm so sorry," apologized Mary Anne, shaking her head numerous times. Delia noticed that the more Mary Anne's head shook, the lower it dipped, until the brunette woman's face was completely hidden. Sniffling again, Mary Anne shook her head one final time before choking, "Del…I d-did it."

Now the living room fell cold and silent for a moment, minus Mary Anne's crying. Feeling as if electrocuted, Delia jumped with a start before blinking in confusion, unsure if she heard the woman correctly. "You...did what?" she asked slowly and skittishly. When Mary Anne did not answer instantaneously, Delia looked back over at Sam for some sort of reassuring look. Alas, the quiet professor simply looked away from Delia and his daughter-in-law, almost shamefully.

Choking back another sob, Mary Anne carefully raised her tear-soaked face back to Delia's baffled brown eyes. "I...I-I started the rumor, Delia," Mary Anne admitted, looking just as shamefully as Sam appeared. Of course, Delia could not help but gasp soundly, and as if Mary Anne shoved her away, the auburn-haired woman staggeringly stepped backwards. While Mrs. Oak continued to wipe at her tears, Delia blinked back her own whilst the same eyes chaotically darted from all the other faces in her living room. Professor Oak was still looking away, Gary's face was downcast and unreadable, and Tylor and Ash both looked as exasperated as Delia.

"You…" stammered Delia, barely able to look back at her friend without feeling her heart squeezed. It was suddenly difficult to look at Mary Anne, though such was easier compared to saying, "…_You_ started it?" Naturally, Delia could not believe it. Surely Mary Anne was lying, or Delia misunderstood her friend. There was _no_ way on God's green earth that Delia was about to believe Mary Anne Oak instigated the abuse rumors.

Shaking her head several times, Delia swallowed a developing lump in her throat. "But...that can't be," she denied, a few tears stinging her eyes she saw Mary Anne nod in weeping defeat. Even _then_, Delia did not fully believe what she was hearing. How could this be? Mary Anne Oak was Delia's best friend! Plus, Mary Anne and her family had been the Ketchum's biggest supporters during the rumor ordeal. Hell, the Oaks had been trying to _clear_ the rumor problem, so how could they possibly be _behind_ it?! "You...you've been helping us _rectify _this!" Delia knew, blinking back her own appalled tears as she felt her heart race to anxious levels. Surely there _must_ have been a misunderstanding!

Alas, Mary Anne somberly shook her head in despair, confirming Delia's fears. "I know, Del…" she sniffled, lowering her head again in shame. "…But I n-_never _intended on _this_ h-happening! I...didn't even _know_ I was behind it!"

"What the hell is _that_ supposed to mean?" Tylor's exasperated voice suddenly piped up, causing everyone to look back at the black-haired man. For Mary Anne, she looked like a frightened kitten whilst staring at Tylor's stunned face, clearly reflecting his deepening anger. Never in Tylor's wildest dreams would he have imagined one of the _Oaks_ were responsible for this rumor matter. The Oak family had been the Ketchums' closest allies, long _before_ the outbreak of rumors!

Understanding Tylor's anger, Mary Anne cleared her throat again before speaking. "P-please...just let me explain," she begged him, not surprised to see Tylor frown angrily as he exchanged a look with Delia. Contrasting Tylor, Delia's face was less agitated, though equally perplexed. Still, his wife seemed willing to give Mrs. Oak the chance. Plus, Tylor knew if anyone was going to be hurt by Mary Anne's involvement, _Delia _was going to be hurt the most. Therefore, if she wanted to listen to Mary Anne's testimony, Tylor would too.

"I'm sorry," Mary Anne repeated, though well aware it would take more than a million "sorries" to rectify, and justify, her actions. "I...never thought this would've h-happened. Back when Ash b-broke his arm, e-everyone was so...concerned at the meeting," she started to explain, stealing a glance over at Delia's son and noticing the cast on Ash's left arm.

"What _meeting_?" Tylor pried a bit forcefully, though he had a general idea what 'meeting' Mary Anne was talking about, since she _was_ a member of the infamous "The women's guild?"

Mrs. Oak nodded, albeit the nod was not prideful. In the meantime, Tylor felt a pang of pride fill him, realizing he and his instincts was correct all along. The women's guild _was _the source of the problem, the perfect place to incubate the rumors which ignited all over Pallet Town. Even Mary Anne was aware of how 'dangerous' the guild could be when faced with gossip. "When Del told m-me what happened…and I relayed it at the following meeting…everyone started talking, you' know...gossip." Not that such was surprising for the yuppies in the women's guild. "…We were a-all commenting about how _often_ Ash seemed to get hurt over the years," she explained, locking another tearful look with Delia's widening eyes. Taking another deep, shaky breath, Mary Anne added, "And…s-somewhere along the line, the word 'abuse' started cropping up."

Her words were really not _too_ surprising, considering Delia shared her husband's opinions about the gossiping women's guild. Such was _why_ Delia left the group in the first place. "But Mary Anne..." Delia started carefully. "Did _you _start talking about the 'abuse'?"

Mary Anne sniffled alongside an unreadable, helpless shrug. "More or less. I don't know _who _exactly was the _first _to bring up the word, but..." she knew, feeling more tears cascade down her face upon realization. "…It _had_ to have started with m-me. It just _had_ to! I-I was the first person…to bring up the subject. And I-I…oh Del, honey…I was _scared_!" she admitted truthfully, causing Delia to blink in astonishment.

"I c-couldn't stop...thinking about all the f-fighting you and Tylor had been doing lately! All those things you t-told me over the last few years about you and Ty…all the _fights_…all the _p-pain_…God Del, I've _really_ been worried about _all_ of you! I prayed _every night_ that matters wouldn't get worse, but…w-when the topic of abuse came up, it...almost sounded _plausible_! I was so a-afraid for you and Ash, and yet, at the s-same time, I knew you and Ty would _never _do such a thing. I j-just..." Mary Anne trailed, burying her dripping face into her hands. " I _wasn't _t-thinking straight!"

"So you just jumped to the conclusion that we were abusing our son?!" Tylor exclaimed angrily, inducing Mary Anne to cringe while her sobs got louder. For Tylor, Mrs. Oak's heartfelt apology felt like a kick in the pants. True, he understood _why_ Mary Anne was so "scared." He could just imagine some of the things Delia confessed to Mary Anne over the years. Some of the arguments Tylor and Delia engaged had been very loud and very hurtful, certainly not in a physical sense but definitely _emotional_. Like a good friend, Mary Anne did not want Delia and Tylor's argumentative relationship to exceed dangerous levels. Tylor _was_ strong and he _did_ have a temper…that fact had been established mere minutes ago, back in Ash's room.

Even still, Mary Anne knew Tylor and his family well enough not to jump to such extreme conclusions. _What the hell possessed her to do this?!_ Tylor almost yelled at her. Frankly, the only thing that kept Tylor from nearly kicking Mary Anne out of his house was the sudden gentle hand that touched his. Somehow, Tylor's inner lament became obvious to his son. Although Ash did not look any happier than Tylor, both knew loosing their tempers was not going to help, not at least until Mrs. Oak finished her confession. Thus, Tylor kept his mouth shut a while longer, intertwining his hand with Ash's as both men felt the other's broiling tension.

"I _tried _to stop them!" Mary Anne swore honestly. "I _swear_ I did! I kept taking back my words as quickly as I could, trying to convince everyone else that I was just...ranting. But then, everyone thought I was trying to 'hide the truth.' They all thought I knew _s-something_, accidentally said it, and was trying to take it back because we w-were friends." Saying that last line in the _past tense_ sent a few chills through Mary Anne's body before continuing. "Everyone thought I was t-trying to protect you. N-no matter _how _many times I told them, even when I started yelling and crying, they _never _b-believed me!"

In a way, Ash could sympathize with Mrs. Oak. Anytime he attempted to disprove the rumors, Ash was dubbed a child either in 'denial' or was simply attempting to protect his parents. He knew exactly what it felt like to be ignored whilst speaking the truth. Ash's previous 'encounter' with Mary Anne's illustrious son was a prime example, though Ash still did not feel like looking at the bastard just yet.

Tylor, too, somehow felt a spark of understanding light inside of him. For him, Mary Anne's dilemma was _Just like us when we tried to disprove the rumors, _Tylor thought, about to speak his mind when his wife spoke up.

"But…Mary Anne, it's not like you _intended _this," Delia whispered, gently returning to her friend's side to place a hand back on Mary Anne's shoulder. Deep down, Delia was _not_ very happy with what her friend did, and Delia would have been lying if she said she did not feel a tad betrayed. On the other hand, she knew Mary Anne did not plan on the rumors getting out of hand. It was just like Mrs. Parkinson's role in the 'mistress rumor' years ago; the woman said something innocent, and it blew out of proportion thanks to people's imaginations. It was obvious that Mary Anne was not the _only_ person who feared Delia and Tylor's relationship might reach a dangerous breaking point. Heavens only knew how many _more_ people suspected the Ketchums to divorce or start harming one other. Mary Anne was no saint for suggesting whatever the hell it was she said at the fated guild meeting, which put the Ketchum's struggle in motion.

However, Delia also understood that Mary Anne did not intend for matters to get so crazy. It was not like Mary Anne was causing the vandalism and making matters _worse_. Hell, the woman tried to _fix _the problem, and had been trying to clear the rumors ever since they started, obviously trying to make amends. "Why didn't...you tell me sooner?" Delia questioned, recalling the phone call she made to Mary Anne the day Ash broke his arm. It did not take a genius to know that call must have inevitably triggered the rumors.

Also remembering the phone call, Mary Anne shook her head. "I c-couldn't, Del. It never...even hit me i-initially for some reason. W-when the rumors first started, I assumed the g-guild was behind them, but I figured people like Paula did it. Then…then a few meetings later, w-when the topic resurfaced…everyone claimed _I-I_ was the one who 'originally brought it up.' They a-all blamed _me_…and…when I realized the truth, and remembered what I told them before…I knew they had e-every _right_ to blame me," as did the entire Ketchum family. Even Mary Anne knew such.

"I felt terrible," she admitted, though Mary Anne was well aware that any pain she felt during the last few weeks could never amount to what the Ketchums endured. Still, that never meant Mary Anne was not repentant. "I _never _thought I could do...something like that to y-you, and…I'm so sorry," she cried, swallowing another rush of tears as she painfully locked her eyes with Delia's. There were tears inside Delia's eyes as well, tears filled with hurt, betrayal, and sorrow. They all the more reminded Mary Anne of how she cruelly betrayed Delia. "Oh Del. I am _so sorry_."

For Samuel, this was not the first time he heard his daughter-in-law spout "sorries." He, himself, was probably more insulted by Mary Anne's actions than the Ketchums. Professor Oak had every intention of helping Delia and her family get through these rumors. Yet, right under his nose, Mary Anne was the very _cause_ of the problem! Her foolishness insulted Samuel's pride, but he also feared it would ruin his relationship with the Ketchums. However, unlike Mary Anne, Sam was _not_ going to be so foolish.

"We have every intention of reimbursing you for the damage," Professor Oak swore sincerely, sounding even _more_ displeased with Mary Anne than Tylor voiced a moment ago. Mary Anne may have made this mess, but Samuel was going to make damn sure she and the rest of their family cleaned it up. And, if the Oaks were lucky enough, the Ketchums might not condemn whatever remained of their friendship. "We'll accept any charges, too; _anything _to make up for this."

Mary Anne nodded whole-heartedly, dabbing her eyes with the sleeve of her blouse. "I've already started e-explaining myself to several people around town. I even managed to speak to Mayor Morris' wife. Not...too many people seemed to believe me, but...for whatever it's worth, they _do _seem angrier with _me _than you, now." Mary Anne felt that was a fair trade. Chances were if people did not _fully_ believe Mrs. Oak's testimony, they would have no reason to be angry with her. Thus, if people hated her, it must have meant they believed _some_ of her words…and _some_ of the Ketchums' innocence. Undoubtedly, this affair would tarnish Mary Anne's reputation, not to mention Samuel's, but the Oaks believed it was better than ruining the Ketchums'.

Delia exchanged a look with Tylor, both spouses looking overwhelmed by the revelation. On one hand, Mary Anne betrayed them, and for all intents and purposes, she _should _be punished. But on the other hand, it was not her fault that things mushroomed out of control. It was just like what happened to Mrs. Parkinson during the last rumor incident; she _did_ initially start it, but it was not her fault that matters got crazy. The only difference this time was Mary Anne did a hell of a lot more to try and fix the problem than the Parkinsons ever did. Mrs. Oak clearly wanted to make amends, and she obviously regretted her actions. The Oaks never _meant _for this to happen; Mary Anne's gossiping nature just got the best of her during a moment of frightened weakness, fear that was originally induced solely because she was scared for the Ketchums' safety.

"I swear, we're going to do _everything_ in our power to clear this matter up," Sam promised, practically on his life. Samuel was not the type to flaunt his authority, but during times like these, it paid to be a Pokemon League affiliate. Professor Oak said it once before: whenever he talked, people _listened_. "I have no qualms about bringing my lawyers into this," and heavens knew the Pokemon League provided much better lawyers than the Ketchums could ever afford. "And I have no qualms about accepting any _charges_, either. I've already spoken to Geoffrey, and, with your approval, any more accusations and charges brought against you will be redirected to _us_." Samuel knew he was risking his reputation, but after what Mary Anne did, losing his family's credibility seemed only fair.

Mary Anne shared the same viewpoints of her father-in-law. "We just..." she added, swallowing a few more tears to recompose herself. The woman doubted she had any right to cry over this, though it was hard to restrain her tears every time Mary Anne recalled her heinous act. "...Please d-don't leave on _our _account. We know you love this town and we're w-willing to sell back your house in a heartbeat!"

Delia and Ash blinked, instantly turning to Tylor, who looked a tad surprised, himself. Once again, Mary Anne's words stunned the Ketchums, but for different reasons this time. "Ty..." Delia stuttered, her mouth agape as she locked eyes with her husband. "...You...sold the house...to _them_?!" She did not mean it in a condescending manner, but more so in a shocked manner._ Of all the people..._

Just now realizing the poetic irony of the matter, Tylor exchanged a look with Sam. As everything started to make perfect sense, a faint smile pulled Tylor's lips as he glanced at his old friend. "You...had this planned, didn't you, Sam?" Tylor inquired softly, recalling the afternoon Sam actually said he would not mind taking the house if Tylor really wanted to sell it. It was also _very_ convenient that Sam and Geoffrey 'found a way' to stop the visits from child services. Tylor did not know how long Mary Anne had been harboring her little secret, but it must have been long enough for Samuel to formulate his _own_ little scheme of keeping the Ketchums in Pallet Town.

Professor Oak chuckled slightly. "Well, I certainly didn't plan on what happened with Mary Anne, but after she told me what happened…which was the day before you sold the house…" he trailed, though the rest was rather obvious. "We...don't want you to leave, especially because of what we did. I know this isn't saying very much, but...we _are _sorry. We're going to do everything we can to clear your names, we're going to accept all the blame, and if there's anything else you ever need, do _not_ hesitate to ask. After what we did..." Sam repeated, stealing a glance over at his daughter-in-law. Sam already gave Mary Anne a _generous_ piece of his mind, _several _days prior to her finally agreeing to confess to the Ketchums. "...We owe you _this _much, and more."

It seemed somewhat wrong to place the _entire _blame on the Oaks. Technically, it was not their fault that the rumors went out of control, though it was most certainly Mary Anne's fault for initially getting the ball rolling. As with the Parkinsons, blaming the Oaks for the _entire_ situation seemed unfair _and _fair all at once, leaving Delia and Tylor to wonder what to do. Delia, especially, hated to hold grudges against friends, even if the grudges were justifiable.

And deep down, Tylor did not want to hold a grudge against the family of his lifelong friend, Sam. He was not pleased with Mary Anne, but… "We...don't want to leave, either," Tylor finally admitted, feeling it best to get that aside first. "And, if you wouldn't mind, Sam, I'd like to buy back the house from you."

Sam smiled gently, looking very relieved to know the Ketchums _would_ remain in Pallet Town. Despite Tylor's stubbornness, even Samuel knew his friend did not want to leave Pallet for anywhere else. "I'd be honored to sell it back, Ty."

"And…I'd be honored to take full responsibility for this," Mary Anne added wholeheartedly, wiping away the remainder of her tears. "I...want to set things straight," she swore openly and honestly. "And then, maybe someday..." Mary Anne choked, locking her glassy eyes with Delia's. "...You could forgive me, Del?" Or was she pushing her luck? Mary Anne and her family knew it would be a downright miracle if the Ketchums ever _fully_ forgave them. Samuel instilled the fear of God into Mary Anne after she told him the truth about the rumors, but that fear was not as terrifying as the fear of losing her best friend.

In all honesty, Delia somehow forgave Mrs. Parkinson years ago. Although Delia doubted she could completely forgive Mary Anne _immediately_, she also doubted she would never be _unable_ to forgive the woman, either. Delia _hated_ to hold grudges, and she never realized it until she and Tylor started getting along again. Truthfully, Delia had been holding one gigantic grudge against her _husband_ for years, and it ate away at her. Delia did not want to go through that resentful pain anymore than necessary. Mary Anne wished to make her atonement: she took full responsibility, was not running away, and frankly, Delia admired such. It was pretty obvious that Mary Anne wanted to clean up her own mess and start anew.

Smiling, Delia finally placed both hands back on her friend's shoulders. A little, vengeful voice inside Delia told her to throw Mary Anne out of her house, but never the type to give into such negativity, Delia just smiled. "Of course, Mary Anne," she nodded, noticing a stunned, ever-so-grateful expression morph on Mary Anne's tear-stained face. True, Delia did not know _exactly_ when the rumors' wounds would _fully_ heal, but she doubted they would remain open _forever_. However, Delia was confident the day would eventually come when the rumors' scars would heal and forgiveness would be an option.

Thereafter, the women embraced, never uttering a word while Mary Anne quietly whimpered in Delia's arms. Whilst watching the scene, Tylor just sighed, unsure how to respond if Mary Anne suddenly asked for _his_ forgiveness. At the moment, he was quite disgusted with Mary Anne, though Tylor knew Delia was as well. Yet, his wife still managed to forgive Mary Anne, so Tylor figured he would find it in his heart to do the same…someday. Besides, he really did not want to hold a grudge against the people who had been his closest allies, and there was no doubt in Tylor's mind that the Oaks had every intention of fixing the matter. In retrospect, Tylor _did _find it odd how _eagerly_ Sam and his family wanted to settle the rumor matter, and now Tylor knew _why_. Frankly, it was not overly surprising anymore.

Ash was thinking the identical regarding the Oaks. He never minded Mrs. Oak, and enjoyed visiting and being babysat by her in his younger years. It was true that Ash disliked Mary Anne's subtle betrayal, but Ash was much more irked by one _other_ Oak member.

Speaking of the devil, as if Ash's mind could be read, Gary finally spoke up. "Ash?" the auburn-haired boy asked softly, grabbing Ash's attention over to his rival: the same who upset Ash a few weeks ago. The wounds from that argument were still rather fresh in Ash, and for a moment, he hesitated to look over at Gary, until he felt an encouraging nudge from Tylor. Frankly, Ash did not believe he was obligated to say anything to Gary Oak, not just because of what Mary Anne did, but because Gary was _way_ out of line to hurt Ash and mock Delia and Tylor.

Even so, Ash mustered a valiant amount of effort to finally answer Gary. "Yeah?" Ash replied softly, certainly hoping Gary would not say something crude at a time like this, but not putting it past the guy, either. Gary would have been pretty stupid to pull anything right now, but that did not guarantee anything.

Obviously understanding why Ash was behaving so distant, Gary carefully formulated his words before speaking. Very much like the last time the boys spoke, Gary appeared rather nervous, far too timid for his typically arrogant self. "Look…I'm...sorry about what I said," Gary apologized honestly, the apology sounding a tad strange to _both_ rivals. Gary rarely made _true _apologies, especially one so openly, and _especially _one directed to _Ash_. It was even more rare for Gary to apologize without adding some smart-assed comment afterwards. Alas, now was not one of those moments.

"You' see…" started Gary. "The day you broke your arm, the same day mom…said what she said…" he trailed, certainly not trying to put all the blame on his mother, even though Gary, too, was displeased with Mary Anne. Alas, after what he said to Ash a few weeks ago, Gary knew he was no angel in this matter, either. "Back then, we didn't realize she was behind the rumor. That night, she came home…talking about the spreading rumors. I…overheard her, and…I uh…" he trailed, absentmindedly scratching the back of his neck. Even Gary knew he was not behaving like his typical self, but… "…Look, I guess I kinda' overreacted," he finally admitted, knowing _'kinda' overreacted' _was an understatement.

"But...I..." Gary continued hesitantly, glancing away almost sheepishly. He certainly was not used to saying things like _this_, especially to Ash of all people. "I..._did _mean what I said that morning," he admitted, noticing Ash frown slightly. Knowing it would be best to correct himself, Gary continued. "I mean, I meant what I said about...feeling sorry about what I thought happened to you," he clarified, noticing Ash's face soften at that particular remark. "I didn't know if the rumors were true at the time, and I know Gramps didn't believe them, but…true or not…just the idea alone…_bugged_ me," he confessed, for lack of a better word. Feeling quite awkward at the moment, Gary took another deep breath before finally looking back at Ash. "...I..._did _feel bad for you, Ash."

Ash was baffled to say the least. To think, despite all the rivalries, the arguments, and God-knew what else disturbed their past friendship over the years, deep down, Gary Oak _did _still care about his old friend. At the time of the rumor outbreak, Gary sincerely felt sorry for what he thought happened to Ash, not 'sorry for Ash's Pokemon' or 'I feel sorry for him because he's a looser' crap Gary usual spat. What the auburn-haired rival felt as genuine, honest-to-goodness _sympathy _for an old friend whom Gary thought had been wrongfully abused. Perhaps, in a way…their dead friendship was not as dead as Ash once believed.

"Anyway..." Gary started again, feeling more and more awkward by the situation. He was not comfortable taking this way, especially to Ash. Thus, after speaking what he wanted to say, Gary just wished to end the weird conversation. There were two things in life Gary was not very accustomed to; loosing and apologizing, and while he had his share of both, Gary was still not a fan of either. "I just...wanted to say that."

Apparently, the Gary whom Ash remembered from six years ago was _not_ nonexistent after all. Deep down, Gary Oak was _still_ the same boy who frequented Ash in the hospital when Ash first broke his arm, and Gary was _still_ the same boy who worried about his injured friend. The only difference between the Gary of _now_ and the Gary of the _past_ was the current Gary allowed his old self to take a backseat to arrogance and competition. Technically, Ash was not exempt from the latter, either, considering he was just as guilty for allowing his pride to separate their friendship. Over the recent years, _both_ boys became very competitive, but when it mattered _most_…the competition was voided. Matters of Pokemon and badges were trivial compared to matters of health and safety. Somewhere, in some way, Gary _did_ care.

Somehow, in some way, Ash realized he was not _too_ surprised anymore to hear such words from Gary. Plus, Ash had a feeling if the situation were _reversed_, if Gary was suspected of being abused, Ash probably would react the _same_ way. The two boys were too damn proud to vocally admit so, but…Ash still knew it was true.

It was hard for Ash not to smile appreciatively. "Thanks, Gary." The last time Ash said those words with equal heart was six years ago. Back then, Ash thanked Gary numerous times; for getting help after Ash initially broke his left arm, plus for all of Gary's hospital visits. Hell, even _after_ Ash was discharged and had to walk around school with the clunky cast on his arm, Gary even defended the boy whenever bullies teased. Of course, that happened years before Gary _became_ one of those bullies. It was true that Ash still smarted from what his rival said a few weeks ago. Yet, Ash also knew such was Gary's weird way of proving he cared. At that moment, Ash knew he was smiling back at not his old rival, but his old _friend_.

The awkwardness was still ever apparent, but somehow, Gary managed to smile back.

...As did everyone else.

- - - - - - - - - -

**Epilogue**

A few finishing adjustments had to be verified, but the agreements had been finalized that late afternoon. Mary Anne agreed to accept full responsibility, and Sam had already forwarded the money that would go to repairing the Ketchums' vandalism. Tylor insisted the Oaks demand the _Rogers_ to reimburse them the money, since it was the Rogers' teenagers who _actually_ did the vandalism. Sam reassured that he would take care of them when the time came.

In Ash's eyes, Mary Anne Oak was the most remorseful person he ever met. A spiteful person might have agreed that Mary Anne better _damn-well_ act remorseful for what she did to the Ketchums. Yet, for Ash, he was just impressed. Mary Anne had no qualms about taking the _full_ blame for the matter, even though it was not _exactly _she who caused the rumors to mushroom out of proportion. Still, she accepted the blame like a mature adult. Mary Anne was a _very_ adamant woman, and there was no doubt that she would not stop fighting until the Ketchums' names were cleared. She _would_ set things right, because she caused the mess and she _would_ clean it up.

Already, Mrs. Oak had spoken with the rest of the women's guild again, this time alongside Samuel. The members were bit more convinced by _Professor Oak's_ word, and by afternoon multiple apologetic messages already accumulated on the Ketchums' answering machine. There was even a message from the 'high-and-mighty' Paula Sampson…alongside her husband Carl, reassuring Delia could return to his restaurant if she desired. Despite not wanting to 'get involved' with the Ketchum's strife, even Mayor Leo Morris, Tylor's old traveling buddy, sent his regards and apologies. By sunset, for the first time in weeks, the Ketchums finally felt peace within Pallet Town.

Truthfully, Ash doubted the rumor matter would end _overnight_. He was smart enough to understand that it would take a while for things to go _fully_ back to normal. Even so, Ash had faith in the Oaks that the incident would finally be laid to rest. God only knew _when_ it would be done, but he was confident that it _would _get done someday. Judging by all the messages bombarding the answering machine, Ash suspected the days of the abuse rumors were numbered. With all the concrete evidence the Ketchums had negating the rumors, never mind Mary Anne's atonement, the future in Pallet Town was looking much brighter for Ash and his family.

At the very least, no matter how long it took for normalcy to return, Ash and his family _would_ remain in Pallet Town. Sam resold the house to Tylor, and this time, Tylor asked for the house to also be put in _Delia's_ name. Tylor refused to make the same mistake twice and sell the house again without his wife's consent. With the contracts signed, such confirmed that the Ketchums _would_ remain in Pallet after all, and Ash could not have been happier. There were still loose legal ends that would take a while to tie up, but they were in the Oaks' hands, now. For all intents and purposes, the Ketchums were free, and Ash got his wish: he and his parents would remain in his beloved hometown...

_...Together._

Just thinking about Tylor's promise filled Ash with unparalleled ecstasy; how his dad promised he was going to spend more time at home. Tylor was still going to work by Viridian City, but agreed he would spend _every_ weekend and holiday in Pallet. Hell, Tylor practically swore that given any tiny opportunity, he would come home. Frankly, Tylor did not want to stay away from Pallet Town anymore than needed. He wished to spend more time with his family and that was what he was going to do. It was pretty clear Delia wanted the same.

It was like a dream come true.

_We're...together again._

And this time, Ash did not even worry himself with what-ifs: 'what if Tylor would leave again', 'what if things would change,' and so forth. Ash knew there was always the possibility of the 'what-ifs' becoming reality, but he did not want to worry himself so such. He had faith that Tylor _would_ somehow keep his promise.

The late afternoon sky eventually became speckled with early twinkling stars. As the golden sunset became purple behind the distant mountains, Ash sat on his front porch and silently admired the rural town he cherished. The Oaks left about half an hour ago. Ash's parents were currently busy in the kitchen: Delia making supper, Mr. Mime helping her, and Tylor doing the same. The husband already called his office and explained the recent situation as best as possible. His office agreed to dock his leagues of absence under 'sick days,' and also taking away 'vacation days,' but Tylor was just happy he was never fired. Of course, having Professor Oak, a fellow associate of Indigo Plateau, back up Ty's absence was a helpful way for Tylor's boss to pull a few strings in Tylor's favor. Alas, that did not mean Tylor would be exempt from the mountains of paperwork awaiting his return on Monday. But until then, Tylor planned on remaining in Pallet for the remaining weekend, settling any final affairs before going back to work.

In the meantime, that left Ash to himself on the front porch, watching the sunset and absorbing the overwhelming day, hell overwhelming _weeks_. At least everything was turning in the Ketchums' favor. They were even graced with an _extra_ tidbit of good news when Ash asked Professor Oak to do him a small favor. Naturally feeling indebted to the Ketchums, Sam had no problem fulfilling Ash's request of double-checking the boy's cast arm. Professor Oak was not a certified _human_ doctor, but it was mandatory for all Pokemon Researchers to possess at least a Bachelor's Degree in _some_ field of modern medicine. Pokemon physiology _was_ different than humans', but Samuel was skilled enough to be able to examine the condition of a boy's arm. Heavens knew Professor Oak patched up a few of Ash's minor injuries when the boy used to romp around his ranch with Gary. Ash never explained _why_ he wanted his arm double-checked, and fortunately, Professor Oak never asked, especially when he confirmed Ash's cast arm was healing perfectly normally. Those words were all Ash, and especially Tylor, needed to feel _totally_ at ease.

Now content for the first time in weeks, Ash breathed in a cool breath of crisp summer air. It was hard to believe these past few weeks were meant to be a relaxing vacation. Yet, these weeks could not be dubbed a _complete_ loss, either. Through all the pain, tears, anxiety, and depression, some good _did_ transpire. Above all else, Ash's family was back together again. Tylor and Delia had not argued in a while, and Ash was finally starting to feel like matters were returning back to the way they used to be: the way the Ketchums were _meant_ to be as a happy family of three set in the small rural town of Pallet. Ash would not have it any other way, nor could he think this moment could get any better.

Well, maybe it _could_ get better, if...

"_Ash_!"

Blinking at the familiar call of his name, Ash tore his eyes away from the orange and purple scenery, noticing two _very_ familiar figures running from the street. The sound of stomped grass resonated as the two youths passed the white picket fence, rushing over to the porch and panting as though they just ran a marathon.

Surprised beyond belief, Ash's eyes widened as he jumped off the porch to meet his friends. "Misty?! Brock?!" he exclaimed, rushing to his exhausted friends, baffled by their sudden appearance. As the older friends took a moment to regain their breaths, Ash blinked multiple times, making sure he was not imagining this oh-so-perfect moment. "What're you guys doing here?!" True, vast majority of their vacation time was over, but not _completely _over. The friends were not due to resume their journey for another few days. What were Misty and Brock doing back so soon?

Regulating their breathing, Misty and Brock exchanged rather perplexed glances before taking Ash's appearance into account. Much to their surprise, there was not one hint of depression or sadness on Ash's face, a dire contrast to how he sounded on the phone several weeks ago. To be frank, Ash did not look much different from the last time they saw him; still his typical self, though there did seem _something_ different about him, something Misty and Brock could not instantly decipher.

"Wha...?" Misty stuttered, swallowing as she carefully observed Ash. For her, especially, she was amazed at how Ash's current state contradicted his tone during their first phone call. That conversation haunted Misty's dreams with disturbing images of a miserable Ash, yanking every heartstring inside her until she wanted to scream. Granted, all of Ash's _other_ phone calls were far more composed, but still... "Uh...is everything okay, Ash?" she asked carefully, eyeing him for any potential problems. The only thing that seemed out of the ordinary was Ash's cast.

Ash blinked, though smiling understandingly a second later. "Jeez, guys...is _that _why you came all the way back here?" he asked rather playfully, placing his hands on his hips and cocking his head in a teasing manner. "Didn't I _ask_ you guys not to worry?" Of course, even Ash knew he must have worried them sick over the past few weeks. He was not too surprised that Misty and Brock decided to disobey his request after all. The anxiety probably ate away at them to the point where Misty and Brock simply wanted to see for themselves what the hell was bothering Ash.

"Well..._yeah_, but…" Brock trailed, he and Misty exchanging baffled but sheepish expressions. It was not that they distrusted Ash, but the friends were smart enough to know he was too damn stubborn to accept help, even if he desperately needed it. It was anyone's guess what the hell happened to Ash while Misty and Brock were away, and the two friends could not tolerate being kept in the dark anymore. Besides, they really missed Ash, too. "Oh, and when we stopped by Professor Oak's place, look who we found," Brock included, setting his large backpack down and opening it to unveil a familiar yellow ball of fur.

"_Pikapi_!!" the electric mouse squealed whilst leaping midair into its master's arms.

"Hey buddy!" Ash giggled, wrapping his arms tightly around Pikachu's soft fur, having missed the feeling of his faithful companion. In all the bustle of packing and the possible move, Ash never got around to retrieving Pikachu and the rest of his Pokemon at Professor Oak's ranch. Then again, Ash had not visited the ranch in a while either, not even when Professor Oak double-checked the boy's arm, something that had been done at Samuel's _lab_. So busy at the time with his family, Ash completely forgot about visiting the ranch sector of the Oak property. "God, I missed you," he confessed, affectionately squeezing Pikachu for a second before directing his attention to his human friends as well. "_All _of you."

Frankly, all three kids missed each other. As this was their first time of extended separation, anxiety definitely got the best of all of them during that vacation. While they enjoyed being with their families, there was nothing quite like their little reunion, either.

"But...what _was _Pikachu doing at Professor Oak's place anyway, Ash?" Misty inquired, cocking her own head and causing her red ponytail to bob. Even the Togepi in her arms looked rather distressed, probably because its 'mommy' had been worried sick about Ash for the past few weeks. "And…what about that phone call? I know you told us to stay at home, but..." she paused, exchanging a look with Brock before continuing. "We've been _really_ worried about you."

"Yeah," Brock nodded honestly, closing his backpack and slinging it back over his shoulders, crossing his arms afterward. "What's been going on here that you didn't dare tell us over the phone?" he inquired, looking just as concerned as Misty. Although Brock never engaged in the disturbing first phone call Misty shared with Ash weeks ago, Brock heard _all_ about it from the girl. Misty was terrified of whatever worried Ash, and Misty's fears easily induced Brock's. The two older friends had constantly considered backtracking to Pallet Town, only now they finally gave into their nagging desires. "You said you'd tell us once 'this' was over. So…what was _'this_,' Ash?"

"Yeah, Ash," Misty nodded, her aquamarine eyes clouded with concern, and her voice a gentle contrast to her typical temper and fuming at Ash. "Tell us what's been going on."

Ash just smiled appreciatively. He had a feeling he worried his friends, and he did feel a tad guilty for making them run back to Pallet. He truly wished they would have ignored him and stayed with their families, but alas, Misty and Brock did the opposite. Actually, it was rather flattering to know they set aside their rare reunions with their families all for _Ash's_ sake. Misty and Brock were not obligated to do that, and yet they still did. It was all the more evidence that there were plenty of others who truly cared about him.

A short while ago, Ash felt like he was all alone in the world, outcast and overwhelmed by loneliness. Quite the contrary, he was _never_ alone. Delia, Tylor, Gary, Misty, Brock… so many people _deeply_ and _honestly cared_. In a way, Ash felt stupid for ever feeling lonely in the first place, while the other half of him just felt…happy, so _very happy._

"Ash?" Misty's voice asked suddenly yet carefully, her face and voice full of concern as she studied the black-haired boy carefully. "What's wrong? Why are you crying?"

Ash blinked, chuckling slightly as he carefully wiped his eyes with his left hand whilst still holding Pikachu with his good arm. "Oh, it's not like that," he reassured with a grateful smile. Despite all the tears he shed over the past few weeks, it was the first time he shed them out of _happiness_. "You're right, I _did _promise to tell you guys," Ash acknowledge, motioning for him and his friends to sit back down on the front porch. "It's sort've a long story, though."

Such did not surprise Misty and Brock. "That's okay," Misty replied with a gentle smile, sitting down beside Ash while Brock sat on the boy's other side, with Pikachu on Ash's lap. Wrapping an arm around Ash in a half-hug, Misty giggled softly, exchanging another reassuring look with a smiling Brock. "We've got time. We're not going anywhere."

- - - - - - - - - -

"Ash has great friends," Tylor noted again with a smile, watching the little scene from the living room window. It was by chance that he momentarily cued Delia away from the cooking so she and her husband could see their son and his returned friends. Both parents could not have felt happier for Ash, knowing the boy certainly deserved this reunion.

"He's...got a great father, too," Delia suddenly noted, Tylor blinking a bit in surprise as he looked back down at her. For a moment, their brown eyes locked, before Delia smiled sweetly and rested her head on Tylor's closest shoulder. Closing her eyes rather blissfully, Delia breathed in deeply before whispering, "And…I've got a great husband."

Her words sent his heart aflutter, making Tylor feel like he was cast back in time to when he and Delia were just two dating teenagers. It was amazing how his wife still had that effect on him after so many years. Of course, that did not mean Tylor disliked the feelings Delia instilled within him. Quite the contrary, he was glad to be able to stand in the same room as Delia and not argue, never mind feel so…_complete_.

Smiling affectionately, Tylor wrapped an arm around Delia's thin waist, drawing her closer to him. Chuckling lightly, the man briefly rested his head against Delia's, long enough to inhale her silky hair's sweet scent. "I never thought I'd ever hear those words from you again, Del," he said light-heartedly but undeniably honestly. "And I've got a great wife, though I've known that for a long time."

Delia blushed slightly at the compliment, giggling as she intertwined one of her hands with her husband's. Holding Tylor's hand tightly, she indulged in the sweet, warm feelings of finally being together again with the man she loved. It had been a _very_ long time since Tylor and Delia Ketchum were together like _this_…far _too_ long…and long _enough_. The spouses never had to say it to know it was time they needed each other. This rumor incident had been a _very_ rude awakening for them to patch-up their relationship. Although it would certainly take a while, Delia and Tylor were confident they _could_ make it through this storm. "I've known it too, Ty."

Tylor and Delia remained in each other's arms, all the while watching their son and his best friends outside. The kids clearly indulged in their precious reunion, as did Delia and Tylor.

They were all together again, as they should be.

**THE END**

* * *

**A/N**: Well, that's it; "Nothing But Lies" is finally done! So, was Mary Anne's involvement a surprise or did you see it coming a mile away? I know _one_ reviewer nailed it after reading Ch.8 (kudos!), which I'm kinda' disappointed in myself for being _that_ obvious (I'll be in trouble if I ever write a full-fledged mystery fic, won't I?). Ah well, this wasn't supposed to be a big mystery, anyway, but I hope some people were a _little_ surprised by the ending. Of course, what was _really_ surprising was probably how damn _sweet_ Gary behaved (I _told_ you he'd return. I purposely saved him for the final chapter). My stories tend to fluctuate between portraying Gary as "nice-ish" or "jerkoff-ish" (as some have probably seen via comparing this story with "Because You Loved Me"). But of course, nobody's sweeter than our Sato-Chan! ^_^

So, after eleven long weeks of "Nothing But Lies," from Aiselne to you: thank you so much for reading. Extra-special thankies goes out to all of my wonderful reviewers. Trust me when I say that your comments mean very much to me, and I take all of them into consideration to improve my work. I sincerely hope you enjoyed this lengthy story, and I'd love to hear everyone's impressions on the grand finale. It was a pleasure for me to write this and share "Nothing But Lies" with all of you faithful readers.

**- Aiselne Phoenix Nocturnus**


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